• 

,r '•*'• 


THE   EX-BEAU   MEETS    THE 
FEA  THER-MAKERS 


"What!  you  are  going  so  soon!     I  thought — / 

hoped " 

The  two  girls  were  already  in  the  omnibus. 


NOVELS 

BY 


Paul  de  Kock 


VOLUME   II 


MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 


BARRIE.S 


THE   JEFFERSON   PRESS 
BOSTON  NEW  YORK 


AN  OMNIBUS  OFFICE 

The  office  in  question  stood  near  Porte  Saint-Martin, 
at  the  corner  of  the  Boulevard  and  Rue  de  Bondy,  in 
the  same  building  as  the  Deffieux  restaurant,  which  was 
one  of  the  most  popular  establishments  in  Paris  in  respect 
of  wedding  banquets;  so  that  one  who  passed  that  way 
during  the  evening,  and  often  after  midnight,  was  likely 
to  find  the  windows  brilliantly  lighted  on  the  first  or 
second  floor,  on  the  boulevard  or  on  the  square,  and 
sometimes  on  both  floors  and  on  both  sides ;  for  it  hap- 
pened not  infrequently  that  Deffieux  entertained  four  or 
five  wedding  parties  the  same  evening.  That  caused 
him  no  embarrassment,  for  he  had  room  enough  for 
all ;  indeed,  I  believe  that,  at  a  pinch,  he  would  have  set 
tables  on  the  boulevard. 

And  there  was  dancing  everywhere,  on  all  sides:  in 
this  room,  a  fashionable  ball ;  in  that,  a  bourgeois  affair ; 
on  the  floor  above,  something  not  far  removed  from  the 
plebeian ;  but  it  is  likely  that  the  latter  was  not  the  least 
enjoyable  of  the  three,  to  those  who  took  part  in  it; 
certainly,  there  was  more  noise  made,  at  any  rate. 

What  a  home  of  pleasure !  It  seems  to  me  that  those 
who  live  in  such  places  ought  to  be  always  in  high 
spirits,  and  to  have  one  leg  in  the  air,  ready  to  dance. 
That  would  be  tiresome  perhaps,  but  how  can  one  avoid 

3 


4  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

a  longing  to  be  merry  when  one  has  constantly  before 
one's  eyes  a  crowd  of  merry  folk,  dancing,  eating,  drink- 
ing, singing,  making  soft  eyes  at  one  another,  or  shaking 
hands  with  all  the  warmth  of  the  most  sincere  regard ! 
Man  is  so  expansive  toward  the  end  of  a  hearty  meal ! 
At  such  a  time,  we  all  attract  and  love  one  another. 

You  will  tell  me,  perhaps,  that  these  sentiments  rarely 
outlast  the  time  necessary  for  digestion ;  that  even  those 
joyous  wedding  feasts,  during  which  the  newly  married 
pair  look  at  and  speak  to  each  other  with  such  a  world  of 
love  in  their  eyes  and  of  tender  meaning  in  their  voices, 
do  not  even  wait  till  the  end  of  the  year  before  they  be- 
come transformed  into  gloomy  and  depressing  pictures. 
There  are  many  people  who  have  gone  so  far  as  to  say  that 
there  are  only  two  pleasant  days  in  married  life :  that  on 
which  the  husband  and  wife  come  together,  and  that 
on  which  they  part;  just  as  there  are  but  two  to  the 
traveller :  the  day  of  departure,  and  the  day  of  return. 

But  people  say  so  many  things  that  are  not  true !  I 
have  known  many  travellers  who  have  enjoyed  travelling ; 
they  were  never  in  a  hurry  to  return  to  their  firesides. 

I  love  to  believe  that  it  is  the  same  with  husbands  and 
wives,  and  that  there  are  some  who  enjoy  the  'married 
state  and  have  no  desire  to  quit  it. 

But  what,  in  heaven's  name,  am  I  chattering  about, 
when  we  ought  already  to  have  entered  the  omnibus 
office,  whence  public  conveyances  started  for  Belleville, 
La  Villette,  Saint-Sulpice,  Crenelle,  and  a  multitude  of 
other  places,  each  farther  from  Paris  than  the  last  ? 

One  could  also  purchase  at  the  office  in  question  small 
bottles  of  essence,  flasks  of  perfumed  vinegar,  blacking, 
and  pomade.  Commerce  slides  in  everywhere !  There 
is  no  harm  in  that.  Commerce  is  the  life  of  nations  and 


AN  OMNIBUS  OFFICE  5 

of  individuals.  Everybody  is  engaged  in  commerce,  even 
those  who  do  not  suspect  it. 

It  was  a  beautiful  day,  in  the  middle  of  June,  and  a 
Saturday;  three  circumstances  which  could  not  fail  to 
result  in  bringing  a  large  crowd  to  the  omnibus  office,  as 
well  as  to  Deffieux's  restaurant.  That  restaurant  attracts 
me ;  I  keep  going  back  to  it,  in  spite  of  myself.  That  is 
to  say,  that  I  go  back  to  it,  not  in  spite  of  myself,  but 
with  all  my  heart,  for  one  is  very  comfortable  there. 
Now,  you  know,  or  you  do  not  know — but  I  should  be 
very  much  surprised  if  you  didn't, — I  resume :  you  know 
that  Saturday  is  the  day  on  which  more  wedding  feasts 
occur  than  on  any  other  day  in  the  week.  Why?  I 
fancy  that  I  have  already  told  you,  somewhere  or  other ; 
but,  no  matter !  let  us  go  on  as  if  I  had  never  told  you. 
Saturday  is  the  day  before  Sunday,  and  therein  lies  the 
whole  secret ;  on  Sunday,  the  government  clerks  do  not 
go  to  their  offices,  and  they  are  great  fellows  for  marry- 
ing; on  Sunday,  the  mechanics  do  not  work,  and  the 
mechanic,  too,  is  very  fond  of  taking  unto  himself  a 
housekeeper;  lastly,  Sunday  is  the  day  of  rest,  and 
people  say  that  on  the  day  after  one's  wedding  one  needs 
to  rest. — Why  so  ?  Go  to  !  do  not  ask  me  su,ch  ques- 
tions! This  much  is  certain — that  the  night  between 
Saturday  and  Sunday  is  one  of  the  finest  nights  in  the 
week,  even  when  there  is  no  moon. 

But,  sapristi !  here  I  am  still  at  the  restaurant! — You 
will  end  by  thinking  that  I  am  much  addicted  to  such 
places.  Well,  frankly,  you  are  not  mistaken.  I  frequent 
them  not  a  little.  I  often  hear  people  say :  "  Don't  talk 
to  me  of  restaurant  cooking;  it's  execrable! " — And  those 
people  think  that  nothing  is  good  but  beef  stew,  a  leg  of 
mutton,  and  roast  beef.  True  classics  those,  in  the  matter 


6  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

of  dishes.  O  Robert!  O  Brillat-Savarin !  O  Berchoux! 
Not  for  such  as  these  did  ye  write  and  compound  such 
delicious  things !  But  be  comforted,  ye  men  of  refined 
taste  to  whom  we  owe  so  much !  there  are  still  palates 
which  relish  your  merit,  which  appreciate  your  skill,  and 
which  do  not  make  faces  at  your  succulent  conceptions. 

Again,  Saturday,  in  summer,  is  the  day  which  many 
people  select  for  a  trip  to  the  country,  to  remain  until 
Monday.  On  the  day  of  which  we  write,  therefore,  the 
omnibuses  were  largely  patronized ;  for  everyone  was  in 
a  great  hurry  to  get  to  some  railroad  station,  or  to  the 
point  where  they  could  take  stages  for  some  more  or  less 
distant  destination. 

So  that  there  was  a  great  crowd  at  the  office  by 
Porte  Saint-Martin,  and  the  clerk  whose  duty  it  was  to 
distribute  tickets  did  not  know  which  way  to  turn ;  he 
had  to  be  constantly  on  the  alert,  in  order  to  avoid  mis- 
takes, especially  as  the  travellers  did  not  always  confine 
themselves  to  asking  for  an  exchange  check  or  a  number, 
but  added  irrelevant  reflections,  questions,  and,  in  many 
cases,  complaints. 

"  An  exchange  check  for  La  Villette." 

"  Here  you  are,  monsieur." 

"  When  do  we  start  ?  " 

"  When  the  'bus  comes,  monsieur." 

"  Will  it  be  long  before  it  comes  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  so,  monsieur." 

"  A  ticket  for  Belleville,  please." 

"  Here  it  is,  madame." 

"  Ah !  mon  Dieu  !  number  seventy-five  !  Are  there 
seventy-four  ahead  of  me  ?  " 

"  No,  madame ;  we  begin  at  fifty." 

"  Then  there  are  twenty-five  ahead  of  me  ?  " 


AN  OMNIBUS  OFFICE  7 

"  Some  of  them  haven't  waited ;  they  won't  answer  the 
call,  and  that  puts  the  others  ahead." 

"  A  check  for  Saint-Sulpice." 

"  Here  you  are." 

"  Where's  the  'bus  ?  " 

"  It  will  come  along." 

"  Oh !  I've  got  to  wait ;  that  isn't  very  pleasant." 

"  Dame  f  monsieur,  we  can't  have  'buses  ready  to  start 
every  minute." 

"Why  not?  It  would  be  much  pleasanter  for  the 
passengers ;  but  nothing  is  ever  done  to  please  the  pas- 
sengers ;  I  must  complain  to  the  management." 

"  Complain,  if  you  choose,  monsieur ;  that's  none  of 
our  business." 

"  Why,  yes,  it  is  your  business,  too;  it  ought  to  be  your 
business,  as  you're  the  one  we  deal  with.  What  sort  of 
a  way  is  that  to  answer  ?  Is  that  the  way  you  treat  pas- 
sengers here  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  you  ought  to  show 
more  respect." 

The  man  who  is  going  to  La  Villette  approaches  the 
clerk  once  more. 

"  Tell  me,  have  I  got  time  to  go  to  the  pastry-cook's 
to  buy  a  cake  ?  " 

"  Why,  monsieur,  no  one  interferes  with  your  going. — 
Here's  the  Crenelle  'bus — passengers  for  Crenelle — take 
your  places ! " 

"  I  ask  you  if  I  have  got  time  to  go  to  get  a  cake 
before  my  'bus  comes  ?  " 

"  Place  des  Victoires !  All  aboard  for  Place  des  Vic- 
toires ! " 

"  Tell  me  about  getting  my  cake  !  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  yes,  yes,  go  to  the  pastry-cook's  !  " 

And  the  clerk  turns  to  his  comrade,  muttering : 


8  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

"  What  a  nuisance  the  fellow  is  with  his  cake  ! — Where 
should  we  be  if  everybody  asked  questions  like  that  ?  " 

A  woman,  of  forty  years  or  thereabout,  who  could  not 
easily  have  found  a  compartment  large  enough  to  hold 
her,  entered  the  office,  leading  two  small  boys,  one  of 
eight  and  one  of  four  years,  who  were  dressed  like  the 
little  trained  dogs  that  do  tricks  on  the  boulevards,  and 
whose  noses  had  evidently  been  overlooked  because  of 
their  hurried  departure  from  home. 

A  servant,  laden  with  an  enormous  basket,  from  which 
protruded  divers  fishes'  tails  and  bunches  of  leeks,  and 
with  an  insecurely  tied  pasteboard  box,  bulging  as  to  the 
sides  and  split  in  several  places,  sulkily  followed  her  mis- 
tress, hitting  everybody  with  her  basket  and  box,  without 
a  word  of  apology,  but  apparently  rather  inclined  to  make 
wry  faces  at  her  victims. 

"  I  want  two  seats  for  Romainville,  monsieur — for  me 
and  my  maid ;  my  boys  don't  pay,  because  we  hold  them 
in  our  laps." 

"  Madame,  this  boy  is  certainly  more  than  five ;  he 
must  pay." 

"  But,  monsieur,  I  tell  you,  I  hold  him  in  my  lap ;  so 
we  only  fill  one  seat." 

"  That  must  annoy  your  neighbors." 

"  I  don't  suppose  people  ride  in  omnibuses  to  be  com- 
fortable ! — Aristoloche,  where  are  you  going  ?  Stay  with 
your  nurse,  sir!  Adelaide,  do  look  out  for  the  child; 
you  know  how  fretful  he  is ! " 

Mademoiselle  Adelaide,  who  looked  more  like  a  cook 
than  a  lady's  maid,  had  gone  with  her  packages  and 
planted  herself  on  a  bench,  between  an  old  gentleman 
and  an  old  woman,  causing  them  to  jump  into  the  air  as 
if  they  were  elastic.  The  shock  was  so  violent  that  the 


AN  OMNIBUS  OFFICE  9 

old  woman  shrieked,  thinking  that  she  had  been  elec- 
trified. The  man,  irritated  beyond  words  by  the  manner 
in  which  the  servant  had  plumped  down  beside  him,  and 
perceiving  that  the  fishes'  tails  which  protruded  from 
her  basket  were  caressing  the  sleeves  of  his  coat,  pushed 
the  basket  away  with  his  elbow,  exclaiming : 

"  What  sort  of  way  is  that  to  sit  down,  throwing  your- 
self onto  people  ?  Pay  attention  to  what  you  are  doing, 
mademoiselle,  and  be  good  enough  to  move  your  basket ; 
I  have  no  desire  to  have  your  fish  rub  against  my  sleeves 
and  make  them  smell  like  poison." 

"  What !  what  do  you  say  ?  What's  the  matter  with 
the  old  fellow  ?  " 

"  I  tell  you  to  move  your  basket ;  I  don't  want  it  under 
my  nose." 

"Where  do  you  want  me  to  put  my  basket,  eh ?  On  the 
floor  perhaps,  so  that  someone  can  steal  it!  Oh,  yes!  we 
should  have  a  nice  time  in  the  country,  where  there's  never 
anything  to  eat.  What  harm  does  the  basket  do  you  ?  " 

"  It  smells  like  the  devil !  " 

"  Nonsense,  it's  yourself!  " 

"  I  pity  the  passengers  in  the  'bus  with  you ;  they'll 
have  a  fine  time  !  " 

"  Shut  up,  you  old  cucumber  !  you'd  like  to  be  as  fresh 
as  my  fish  !  " 

The  epithet  old  cucumber  touched  the  old  man  to  the 
quick  ;  he  got  up  and  walked  away,  muttering : 

"  If  you  weren't  a  woman,  I'd  stuff  your  words  down 
your  throat ! " 

"  Oh,  indeed !  you'd  have  plenty  to  do  then,  for  I  feel 
like  saying  a  good  deal  more  to  you." 

"  But,  Adelaide,  I  beg  you,  look  out  for  Aristoloche ; 
he's  going  out  of  the  office." 


I0  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"Well,  I  can't  help  it,  madame;  I  can't  attend  to 
everything;  I  have  quite  enough  to  do  with  your  box 
and  your  basket — and  with  talking  back  to  this  veteran." 

"  Veteran !  I  believe  that  you  had  the  face  to  call  me 
veteran  !  " 

"  La  Villette — all  aboard ! — Monsieur,  you're  for  La 
Villette ;  hurry  up  !  " 

These  words  were  addressed  to  the  old  man  who  was 
disputing  with  Adelaide,  and  who,  as  he  left,  bestowed 
a  crushing  glance  on  the  servant,  who  laughed  in  his 
face  and  administered  a  cuff  to  young  Aristoloche,  the 
child  of  four,  who,  despite  his  mamma's  orders,  persisted 
in  trying  to  leave  the  office. 


II 
A  BLONDE  AND  A  BRUNETTE 

"Well,  monsieur,"  said  the  corpulent  dame,  pulling 
over  her  eldest  son's  eyes  a  small  gray  felt  hat,  with  a 
Henri  IV  crown,  and  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  feathers 
which  drooped  like  palm-leaves ;  "  we  can  get  tickets  for 
Romainville,  I  hope  ?  " 

"  We  don't  sell  tickets  for  Romainville,  madame,  but 
for  Belleville;  there  you'll  find  the  Romainville  stage." 

"Oh!  you  don't  sell  tickets  for  Romainville  here; 
that's  very  unpleasant.  Shall  we  have  to  pay  again 
when  we  change?" 

"  Yes,  madame ;  but  if  you  take  checks,  it  will  be  only 
four  sous  twenty  centimes." 

"  For  each  ?  " 

"To  be  sure." 


A  BLONDE  AND  A  BRUNETTE  n 

"  That's  very  dear.  Narcisse,  do  pull  your  hat  down, 
or  you'll  lose  it;  you  know  it  fell  off  just  now  on  the 
boulevard,  and  somebody  almost  stepped  on  it;  your 
fine  Henri  IV  hat  is  very  pretty,  you  know." 

"  I  hate  it ;  the  feathers  make  me  squint." 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  bad  boy ;  your  aunt  bought  that 
hat  for  you  ;  you  won't  get  another  for  two  years  !  " 

"  Take  off  the  feathers,  then ! " 

"  Hush  !  you  don't  deserve  to  be  so  fine !  " 

"  Fine !  oh,  yes !  all  the  boys  make  fun  of  me  and  say 
I  look  like  a  chienlit."  * 

"  They're  little  villains  !  They  say  that  from  envy,  for 
they'd  like  right  well  to  have  a  hat  like  yours. — Say, 
monsieur,  can  you  promise  me  a  seat  in  the  other  'bus?  " 

"  Oh  !  I  can't  promise  you ;  but  if  there's  no  room  in 
that,  there's  sure  to  be  in  the  next  one." 

"  Do  they  start  often  ?  " 

"  Every  twenty  minutes." 

"  Wait  twenty  minutes !  why,  that's  horrible !  Oh !  how 
sorry  I  am  I  promised  my  aunt  to  dine  with  her  to-day  !  " 

"Especially,"  muttered  the  servant,  "as  we  have  to  carry 
our  own  dinner  when  we  dine  with  her. — A  pretty  kind  of 
invitation !  She  don't  ruin  herself  giving  dinner  parties ! " 

"  Here,  give  me  two  tickets  for  Belleville." 

"  Here  they  are,  madame." 

"  Come  here,  Aristoloche ;  come  here  this  minute !  Oh ! 
how  these  children  do  torment  me !  They're  like  little 
snakes ! " 

"All  aboard  for  Belleville  !  " 

*  Chienlit  is  the  equivalent  of  the  gibing  expression  "shirt  hanging  out" 
used  by  urchins  among  ourselves.  It  also  signifies  the  strip  of  paper  sur- 
reptitiously fastened  to  the  clothes  to  render  a  person  a  laughing-stock  ;  or, 
again,  it  alludes  to  the  eccentric  fashions  of  certain  Carnival  masqueraders. 


J2  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  Belleville,  why  that's  ours !  Take  Aristoloche's  hand, 
Adelaide." 

"  That's  very  convenient,  when  I  have  a  basket  and  a 
box  already ! " 

But  before  the  stout  woman,  with  her  servant  and 
the  two  children,  had  left  the  office,  the  Belleville  omni- 
bus had  started  off;  there  was  but  one  vacant  seat,  and 
twenty  people  were  waiting  for  it.  You  should  have 
seen  the  disappointment  depicted  on  all  those  faces 
then.  Several  persons,  tired  of  waiting,  decided  to  walk. 
Others  remained  in  the  square ;  but  the  majority  returned 
to  the  office,  where  all  the  benches  were  already  filled. 
These  public  carriages  are  surely  an  excellent  invention ; 
but  let  us  admit  that  they  are  not  equal  to  the  most 
modest  of  char-a-bancs,  which  is  entirely  at  your  service, 
even  when  you  only  hire  it. 

Finding  no  place  to  sit  inside  the  office,  the  dame  with 
the  little  boys  seated  herself  and  them  on  a  bench  out- 
side. As  for  the  servant,  she  succeeded  in  finding  room 
inside;  the  fish  in  her  basket  was  of  much  assistance 
to  her  in  inducing  others  to  make  room;  there  was  a 
general  rush  to  get  as  far  away  from  her  as  possible. 

The  party  with  the  cake  returned,  and  ran  up  to  the 
clerk. 

"  Well !  isn't  it  about  time  for  us  to  start  ?  " 

"  Where  are  you  going,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  You  know  perfectly  well — to  La  Villette." 

"  The  'bus  started  three  minutes  ago." 

"  What !  it  didn't  wait  for  me !  I  asked  you  if  I  had 
time  to  go  to  buy  a  cake,  and  you  said  yes.  You  ought 
to  have  said  no,  if  I  hadn't." 

"You  shouldn't  have  been  so  long  about  it,  mon- 
sieur." 


A   BLONDE  AND  A  BRUNETTE  13 

"  I  thought  there  was  a  pastry-cook  on  Carre  Saint- 
Martin,  but  I  couldn't  find  anything  but  pork-shops." 

"  You  can  take  the  next  'bus." 

"  How  soon  does  it  start  ?  " 

"  In  seven  minutes." 

"  Then  I've  got  time  to  go  to  drink  a  glass  of  beer  to 
wash  down  my  cake.  Cafes  aren't  like  pastry-cooks — 
you  can  find  them  anywhere." 

"  Be  careful,  monsieur ;  seven  minutes  at  the  outside." 

"  You  can  keep  it  waiting  a  minute  if  I'm  not  here." 

"  They  never  wait,  monsieur." 

Two  rather  attractive  young  women  entered  the  office; 
they  were  modestly  dressed,  and  their  hats  were  so  small, 
and  set  so  far  back  on  their  heads,  that  they  looked  to 
be  nothing  more  than  caps.  Their  general  appearance 
was  that  of  grisettes.  Some  writers  who  study  present- 
day  manners  in  their  studies,  or  at  table  in  a  cafe,  claim 
that  there  are  no  grisettes  now ;  but  I  assure  you  that 
that  is  not  true ;  if  you  do  not  find  any,  it  is  because 
you  have  not  made  a  thorough  search.  There  will 
always  be  grisettes  in  Paris,  where  the  more  or  less 
flighty  young  work-girl  of  the  Latin  quarter  does  not 
pass  at  one  bound  from  her  modest  chamber  to  the 
boudoir  of  a  kept  mistress. 

One  of  the  young  women  who  entered  the  omnibus 
office  was  a  brunette,  with  a  retrousse  nose,  defiant  eye, 
smiling  mouth,  teeth  a  little  too  far  apart — but  that  is 
better  than  having  false  teeth ;  the  other  was  a  blonde, 
one  of  those  blondes  who  have  received  a  light  touch  of 
fire ;  but  that  color  never  yet  prevented  a  woman  from 
being  pretty.  If  you  doubt  what  I  say,  go  to  England 
or  Scotland;  auburn-haired  women  are  in  the  majority 
there,  and,  as  a  general  rule,  they  are  very  fascinating. 


I4  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

The  blonde  grisette  was  pretty;  but  she  had  a  sort  of 
stupid  expression  which  might  at  first  sight  pass  for 
modesty ;  but  on  talking  with  her,  you  soon  discovered 
that  it  was  really  stupidity;  therein  she  formed  a  striking 
contrast  to  her  companion,  who  had  a  bright,  wide-awake 
manner. 

"  Monsieur,"  said  the  brunette,  addressing  the  clerk, 
"  have  you  any  seats  for  Belleville  ?  " 

"  You  must  take  your  turn,  mademoiselle." 

"  But  will  our  turn  be  long  in  coming  ?  " 

"  Not  very ;  a  good  many  people  have  gone." 

In  truth,  the  odor  exhaled  by  the  whiting  stuffed  into 
Mademoiselle  Adelaide's  basket,  and  the  fear  of  having 
to  travel  with  her,  had  led  many  persons  to  start  for  their 
destinations  on  foot. 

"  Here,  mesdemoiselles,  take  these  two  tickets ;  your 
turn  will  come." 

"Say,  Laurette,  suppose  we  walk?"  said  the  pretty 
blonde. 

"  Thanks,  and  tire  ourselves  out,  and  arrive  all  drenched 
— what  fun  !  For  my  part,  I  don't  like  to  sweat ;  it  un- 
curls my  hair.  Mon  Dieu  !  what  a  crowd  !  It's  all  the 
rage  now;  no  one  is  willing  to  go  on  foot,  and  there 
aren't  enough  'buses." 

"  Belleville  !     Faubourg  du  Temple !  " 

"Ah !  here  it  is !  here  it  is  !  " 

Further  evolutions  performed  by  the  stout  woman,  the 
two  boys,  and  the  servant,  but  with  no  greater  success ; 
there  were  four  vacant  seats,  but  there  were  other  num- 
bers before  theirs.  The  two  girls  also  came  forward. 

"There's  no  more  room,  except  on  top,"  said  the  con- 
ductor. 

"All  right!  we  don't  care;  we'll  go  on  top." 


THE    YOUNG  MAN  FROM  PLACE   CADET  15 

"  Pardon !  ladies  are  not  allowed  there." — And  the 
conductor  added,  with  a  wink :  "  It  isn't  my  fault,  you 
know ;  nothing  would  suit  me  better." 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  a  man  in  a  blouse ;  "  if  women 
were  allowed  to  climb  up  there,  there's  lots  of  men  who 
would  pay  to  be  conductors." 

"  Why  do  they  say  that  ?  "  the  blonde  asked  her  com- 
panion ;  "  what  good  would  it  do  the  conductors  to  have 
women  ride  in  the  three-sou  seats  ?  " 

"  Oh !  what  a  fool  you  are,  Lucie !  What !  don't  you 
understand  ?  " 

"  Why,  no." 

"  Oh !  you  make  me  weary." 

"  Never  mind ;  tell  me  why  ?  " 

"  My  dear  girl,  it's  a  matter  of  the  point  of  view ; 
that's  all." 


Ill 

THE  YOUNG  MAN  FROM  PLACE  CADET 

An  awkward,  loutish  youth  entered  the  office. 

"  Place  Cadet,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  This  isn't  the  office ;  it's  out  on  the  boulevard,  at  the 
left,  just  at  the  corner." 

"  Exceedingly  obliged ;  will  there  be  a  seat  ?  " 

"  How  do  you  expect  us  to  know,  when  this  isn't  the 
office  ?  " 

"  Oh !  of  course ;  and  that  is  where  I  must  go  for  a 
number?  Suppose  you  give  me  one,  wouldn't  that 
amount  to  the  same  thing  ?  " 


16  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  Why,  no,  monsieur ;  the  'bus  doesn't  stop  here." 

"  The  'bus  is  what  I  want  to  go  on." 

"  You  can  go  on  it  or  under  it ;  it's  none  of  our  affair." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  one  can  ride  underneath  ?  " 

The  clerk  concluded  to  turn  his  back  on  the  stupid 
idiot  who  asked  such  questions.  Mademoiselle  Laurette, 
having  overheard  the  dialogue,  burst  out  laughing,  as 
she  said : 

"  I'd  have  sent  that  fellow  to  the  deuce  in  short 
measure.  What  a  booby !  You  must  need  a  good  stock 
of  patience  to  answer  all  those  questions  !  " 

"Ah!  mademoiselle,  if  you  were  employed  in  an  omni- 
bus office,  you'd  hear  many  things  like  that !  " 

"  Really !  do  you  mean  to  say  that  there  are  others 
like  him  in  Paris  ?  " 

"  There  are  everywhere,  mademoiselle." 

Meanwhile,  the  individual  who  wished  to  go  to  Place 
Cadet  had  left  the  office ;  then  he  halted  on  the  square, 
looking  about  him  with  a  confused  air.  He  spied  the 
stout  woman  sitting  on  a  bench,  between  Messieurs 
Narcisse  and  Aristoloche,  one  of  whom  was  trying  all 
the  time  to  push  away  the  feathers  that  adorned  the 
front  of  his  hat,  while  the  other  confined  his  energies 
to  persistently  stuffing  one  of  his  fingers  into  his  nose. 
Our  friend  went  up  to  the  dame  and  said,  touching 
his  hat: 

"A  ticket  for  Place  Cadet,  madame,  if  you  please." 

"  Do  you  take  me  for  an  omnibus  clerk,  monsieur  ?  " 
replied  the  dame,  sourly ;  "  can't  you  go  to  the  office  ?  " 

"  Pardon  me,  madame;  I  just  went  there,  and  they  told 
me  to  apply  on  the  left,  in  a  corner." 

"Well,  monsieur,  am  I  a  corner,  I  should  like  to 
know  ?  " 


THE    YOUNG  MAN  FROM  PLACE   CADET  17 

"Dame!  I  don't  know;  they  told  me  to  go  to  the  left; 
I  don't  see  the  office ;  I  don't  see  the  'bus." 

And  the  youth  returned  to  the  office  he  had  just  left, 
crying : 

"  Where  is  that  place  where  you  get  tickets  for  Place 
Cadet?  I  can't  find  it;  can't  you  come  and  show  me 
the  way  ?  " 

"Well,  this  caps  the  climax!  If  we  had  to  act  as 
guides  for  everybody  who  goes  astray,  then  there  would 
have  to  be  a  corps  of  messengers  attached  to  the  office. — 
Over  yonder,  I  told  you,  monsieur ;  on  the  other  side  of 
Boulevard  Saint-Denis." 

"  What !  have  I  got  to  go  all  the  way  to  Saint-Denis 
to  get  to  Place  Cadet  ?  " 

"  La  Villette !  all  aboard  for  La  Villette !  " 

All  those  who  were  bound  for  that  destination  hurried 
from  the  office,  and  in  the  confusion  jostled  the  youth 
who  wished  to  go  to  Place  Cadet,  and  who  persisted  in 
remaining  in  the  office  where  he  had  no  business,  looking 
at  everybody  as  if  he  were  disposed  to  weep. 

"  Why  do  you  stay  here,  monsieur,"  inquired  Made- 
moiselle Laurette,  "when  they  told  you  to  go  to  the 
office  on  Boulevard  Saint-Denis  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  Boulevard  Saint-Denis,  mademoiselle ; 
and  I  am  afraid  of  losing  my  way." 

"  The  trouble  is  that  you  ought  not  to  have  been  let 
go  out  alone ;  some  parents  are  very  imprudent !  I'll 
tell  you  what  you  ought  to  do :  go  to  one  of  the  mes- 
sengers over  by  Porte  Saint- Martin ;  take  his  arm  and 
give  him  ten  sous,  and  he'll  take  you  to  Place  Cadet ; 
he'll  carry  you  even,  if  you're  tired." 

"  Ten  sous !  oh !  that's  too  much.  You're  not  going 
to  Place  Cadet,  are  you,  mademoiselle  ?  " 


18  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Oh !  no,  monsieur ;  we're  going  to  the  country." 

"Ah!  do  the  omnibuses  take  people  to  the  country 
too?" 

"  They  take  you  everywhere,  monsieur." 

"  Really !  I  have  such  a  longing  to  see  the  sea ;  do 
the  omnibuses  give  transfer  checks  for  the  seashore  ?  " 

"  You  have  only  to  ask,  and  you'll  find  out." 

The  tall  clown  was  on  the  point  of  returning  to  the 
clerks,  but  he  was  pushed  aside  by  the  man  who  had 
gone  to  get  a  glass  of  beer,  and  who  returned  to  the 
office  with  a  joyous  air,  saying: 

"  Ah !  this  time  I  think  I  haven't  been  long ;  is  my 
La  Villette  'bus  coming  ?  " 

"  La  Villette  ! — it's  just  started,  monsieur." 

"  Oh !  that  is  too  much.  Why  couldn't  you  make  it 
wait  ?  " 

"  They  never  wait,  monsieur." 

"  When  will  there  be  another  one  now  ?  " 

"  In  about  ten  minutes." 

"  Oh !  then  I  have  time  enough  to  get  a  cup  of  coffee 
— and  a  glass  of  liqueur  to  wash  down  the  beer." 

With  that,  he  returned  to  the  cafe,  followed  by  the 
tall  youth,  who  shouted  to  him  from  afar : 

"  Monsieur,  a  ticket  for  Place  Cadet  ?  " 


ONLOOKERS  AND  LOITERERS  19 


IV 

ONLOOKERS  AND  LOITERERS 

A  line  of  carriages,  with  white-gloved  coachmen,  semi- 
bourgeois  equipages,  had  halted  on  the  square  in  front 
of  the  restaurant ;  still  another  wedding  party  intending 
to  banquet  at  Deffieux's. 

A  number  of  people  had  gathered  in  front  of  the  door, 
to  watch  the  bridal  couple  enter.  Inquisitive  folk  abound 
in  Paris ;  perhaps  it  would  be  more  accurate  to  say  that 
they  abound  everywhere.  Why  this  general  desire  to  see 
a  bride,  when  she  has  not  as  yet  performed  all  the  duties 
which  that  title  devolves  upon  her?  Is  it  simply  to 
see  whether  she  is  pretty,  and  to  read  upon  her  features 
whether  or  not  she  is  looking  forward  joyfully  to  be- 
coming a  wife  ?  This  is  a  simple  question  that  we  ask, 
but  we  will  not  undertake  to  answer  it. 

Among  the  persons  who  had  halted  there,  some  in 
passing,  others  coming  from  the  omnibus  office,  others 
on  the  way  there,  was  a  tall  man,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  forty-five  years,  standing  very  straight,  even  bending 
back  a  little  from  the  hips,  with  head  erect,  nose  in  air, 
and  his  hat  on  one  side,  in  true  roistering  style. 

This  person,  whose  chestnut  hair  was  beginning  to  be 
sprinkled  with  gray,  had  very  irregular  features.  His 
eyes  were  small  and  deep-set,  of  a  pale  green  shade,  but 
full  of  fire  and  animation.  His  nose  was  crooked,  slightly 
turned  up,  and  might  almost  have  been  called  flat.  His 
mouth  was  large,  but  his  teeth  were  fine,  and  not  one  was 


20  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

missing ;  so  that  his  smile  was  not  unattractive,  especially 
as  he  was  not  over  lavish  of  it.  His  chin  retreated  slightly, 
his  cheek-bones,  as  a  contrast,  were  exceedingly  promi- 
nent; his  complexion  was  high-colored  and  blotched, 
although  he  was  thin  both  in  body  and  face.  With  this 
unpromising  exterior,  my  gentleman  seemed  none  the  less 
to  consider  himself  an  Apollo.  He  wore  bushy  mutton- 
chop  whiskers,  which  almost  met  in  the  middle  of  his 
chin,  leaving  between  them  only  a  very  narrow  space, 
cleanly  shaven,  which  he  often  caressed  with  affection, 
and  which  he  called  his  dimple.  His  manners  denoted 
no  less  self-assurance  than  familiarity  with  the  world ; 
and  they  would  even  have  borne  some  traces  of  refine- 
ment, had  he  not  adopted  a  sort  of  mincing  gait  not 
unlike  that  of  a  drum-major;  but,  instead  of  a  great 
baton,  this  gentleman  had  a  slender  switch,  curved  at  the 
top,  which  seemed  to  have  been  painted  and  gilded  long 
before,  but  had  lost  a  large  part  of  its  decoration.  It  was 
a  very  pliable  switch,  with  which  he  constantly  tapped  his 
trousers-legs. 

His  costume  did  not  indicate  the  dandy,  although  its 
wearer  affected  the  manners  of  one.  His  linen  trousers, 
of  a  very  large  check,  seemed  to  have  been  cut  from  the 
skirt  of  some  concierge.  His  waistcoat  was  also  of  a 
check  pattern,  but  its  colors  did  not  harmonize  at  all  with 
those  of  the  trousers ;  nothing  was  wanting  except  the 
plaid  to  give  him  altogether  the  aspect  of  a  Scotch  High- 
lander; but,  instead  of  the  plaid,  he  wore  a  nut-brown 
frock-coat,  with  ample  skirts,  which  he  often  left  unbut- 
toned the  better  to  display  his  slender  figure,  and  in 
which  he  sometimes  encased  himself  hermetically,  as  if 
it  were  a  cloak.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  this  costume 
was  entirely  lacking  in  freshness. 


ONLOOKERS  AND  LOITERERS  21 

This  personage,  who  had  a  habit  of  speaking  always 
in  a  very  loud  tone,  so  that  everybody  could  hear  what 
he  said  and  presumably  be  struck  with  admiration  by 
his  wit, — a  method  of  attracting  attention  which  enables 
you  to  divine  instantly  the  sort  of  man  with  whom  you 
have  to  do — this  personage  pushed  and  jostled  some  of 
the  loiterers,  exclaiming : 

"  What's  all  this  ?  what's  all  this  ?  a  wedding  party,  eh  ? 
Mon  Dieu  !  is  a  wedding  party  such  a  very  strange  thing 
that  everybody  must  stop  and  push  and  crowd,  to  see 
the  couple  ?  Triple  idiots  of  Parisians !  On  my  word,  one 
would  think  they  had  never  seen  such  a  thing  before ! " 

"  What's  that !  what  makes  you  push  me  so  hard  to 
get  my  place,  if  there's  nothing  to  look  at  ? "  said  a 
youngster  in  a  blouse,  whom  the  other  had  pushed  away 
with  some  violence. 

"  Who  is  it  that  presumes  to  speak  to  me  ?  God  for- 
give me !  I  believe  that  this  little  turnspit  dares  to  com- 
plain !  Look  out  that  I  don't  teach  you  whom  you  are 
talking  to  ! " 

"  In  the  first  place,  I  ain't  a  turnspit ;  do  you  hear,  you 
long  flag-pole  ?  " 

That  epithet  caused  the  gentleman  in  the  Scotch  nether 
garments  to  quiver  with  rage ;  he  threw  himself  back  and 
raised  his  cane,  and,  in  the  course  of  that  evolution,  trod 
on  the  feet  of  an  old  woman  who  stood  behind  him  lead- 
ing a  small  dog,  which  was  doing  its  best  to  avoid  being 
present  at  the  arrival  of  the  wedding  party. 

"  Ah  !  monsieur,  take  care,  for  heaven's  sake  !  you're 
treading  on  me.  A  little  more,  and  you'd  have  crushed 
Abdallah ! " 

"  Very  sorry,  madame ;  but  I  have  no  eyes  in  my  back. 
Ah !  the  rascal  who  had  the  effrontery  to  reply  to  me 


22  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

has  fled.  I  will  not  chase  him,  because  he's  only  a  child ; 
if  he  had  been  a  man,  he'd  have  felt  my  switch  on  his 
shoulders  before  this." 

"  Monsieur,  do  take  care;  Abdallah  is  under  your  feet! " 

"  What's  that !  what,  in  God's  name,  is  this  Abdallah 
of  yours,  madame  ?  " 

"  My  dear  little  King  Charles. — Come  here,  come,  you 
runaway ! " 

"  That  beast  a  King  Charles  ?  He's  a  very  ugly  water- 
spaniel,  and  I  wouldn't  give  two  sous  for  him.  How 
stupid  some  people  are  with  their  dogs !  Ah !  there's 
the  bride,  no  doubt. — Peste !  how  lightly  we  jump  down  ! 
Very  good !  I  have  my  cue.  She'll  wear  the  breeches ; 
I  can  see  that  at  a  glance." 

A  young  woman,  in  the  traditional  bridal  costume, 
had,  in  fact,  alighted  from  one  of  the  carriages ;  she  did 
not  wait  for  the  arm  which  a  stout,  chubby-faced  papa, 
already  perspiring  profusely,  who,  however,  was  not  one 
of  the  groomsmen,  was  preparing  to  offer  her. 

The  bride  was  apparently  about  twenty  years  of  age ; 
she  was  short  and  plump,  with  light  hair,  a  white  skin, 
and  a  rosy  complexion ;  she  was  not  a  beauty,  but  her 
face  was  piquant  and  attractive,  with  a  pleasant  smile  of 
the  sort  that  almost  always  denotes  a  quick  wit;  but 
smiles  do  not  invariably  fulfil  their  promises. 

The  stout  papa,  who  had  come  forward  too  late  to 
assist  the  bride  to  alight  from  her  carriage,  was  also  too 
late  for  another  lady  who  followed  her ;  and  he  missed 
a  third  likewise,  because  he  was  very  busily  occupied  in 
wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  brow. 

The  gentleman  with  the  check  trousers,  having  turned 
his  eyes  upon  the  stout  man,  rushed  toward  the  carriage, 
exclaiming : 


ONLOOKERS  AND  LOITERERS  23 

"  Pardieu !  I  am  not  mistaken,  it's  my  good  Blanquette ! 
Dear  Monsieur  Blanquette  !  Hola,  there  !  I  say,  Pere 
Blanquette  !  Hola !  is  it  possible  that  you  don't  know 
your  friends  ?  Just  turn  your  eyes  this  way !  " 

The  stout  papa,  being  thus  noisily  addressed,  ceased 
to  wipe  his  brow,  and,  looking  in  the  direction  of  the 
crowd,  speedily  distinguished  the  person  who  had  hailed 
him.  Thereupon  his  face  assumed  an  expression  which 
denoted  annoyance  rather  than  pleasure,  and  he  answered 
his  interlocutor's  greetings  with  cold  and  constrained 
courtesy. 

"  Oh !  good-day,  Monsieur  Cherami — glad  to  see  you." 

"So  you're  of  the  wedding  party,  Papa  Blanquette? — 
All  in  full  dress,  eh?  You  were  in  the  same  carriage 
with  the  bride." 

"  Well,  it  would  be  a  strange  thing  if  I  wasn't  of  the 
party,  when  it's  my  nephew  who's  being  married ! " 

"  Your  nephew  ?  Oho !  then  I  understand;  I  have  my 
cue.  What !  that  dear  little  Adolphe — who  never  wanted 
to  do  anything — who  didn't  take  to  anything,  as  I  re- 
member." 

"  But  he  has  taken  to  marriage  very  readily. — Besides, 
Adolphe  is  a  big  fellow  now." 

"  What !  it  is  your  nephew  whose  wedding  you  are  cele- 
brating, and  I  did  not  know  it  ?  Such  an  old  friend  as  I 
am,  too — for  you  know,  Papa  Blanquette,  how  devoted 
I  am  to  you  !  You  have  seen  me  in  an  emergency ;  and 
you  let  me  know  nothing  about  it,  and  I  am  not  invited 
to  the  wedding!  Do  you  know,  Monsieur  Blanquette, 
that  I  might  justly  be  offended  by  such  actions,  if  I  were 
sensitive  ?  But  I  am  not — I  leave  that  foible  to  idiots." 

For  some  moments,  the  stout  man  had  been  listening 
with  but  one  ear  to  the  individual  whose  name  we  now 


24  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

know.  The  bridegroom's  uncle  was  watching  the  car- 
riages, and,  another  one  having  taken  the  place  of  that 
from  which  the  bride  had  alighted,  he  was  determined  not 
to  be  behindhand  again  in  offering  his  hand  to  the  ladies ; 
so  he  hurried  to  the  door,  leaving  Monsieur  Cherami  still 
talking,  and  confined  himself  to  an  inclination  of  the  head 
as  he  muttered : 

"  Excuse  me,  monsieur ;  but  I  have  no  time ;  there  are 
some  ladies  whom  I  must  assist — I  cannot  talk  any 
longer." 

Monsieur  Cherami  compressed  his  lips,  frowned,  and 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  saying : 

"  Ah !  this  is  your  way  of  being  polite,  is  it,  you  old 
numskull !  He  puts  on  airs  because  he's  made  a  little 
money  in  Elbeuf  broadcloth;  as  if  that  were  such  a 
wonderful  thing!  And  to  think  that  I  have  sent  him 
more  than  fifty  customers, — my  tailor,  among  others ! — 
and  he  acts  as  if  he  hardly  knew  me !  All  because  he 
has  money !  a  lot  of  merit  in  that !  for  who  hasn't  money 
now?  It  has  become  so  common  that  persons  of  dis- 
tinction don't  want  it." 

"  In  that  case,  I  fancy  that  tall,  lanky  fellow  must  be 
very  distinguished  !  "  whispered  Mademoiselle  Laurette 
to  her  friend;  for  the  two  girls  had  left  the  omnibus 
office  to  see  the  wedding  party,  and  they  were  near 
enough  to  Monsieur  Cherami  to  hear  what  he  said. 
That  was  an  easy  matter,  by  the  way,  even  at  a  dis- 
tance, for  our  friend  talked  as  Mangin  does  when  he  is 
describing  his  drawings  in  public. 

Meanwhile,  the  four  wedding  carriages  had  discharged 
their  freights,  who  had  entered  the  restaurant ;  then  the 
carriages  drove  away,  and  the  bystanders  dispersed,  except 
those  who  had  business  at  the  omnibus  office. 


THE   CAPUCINE  FAMILY 


THE  CAPUCINE  FAMILY 

Monsieur  Cherami  remained  on  the  square,  staring  at 
the  porte  cochere  of  the  restaurant,  and  tapping  his  legs 
with  his  switch,  with  a  nervous,  jerky  movement;  he 
seemed  undecided  as  to  the  course  he  had  better  pursue, 
and  muttered,  quite  loud  enough,  however,  to  be  over- 
heard : 

"  I  don't  know  what  restrains  me ;  I  am  tempted  to 
join  that  wedding  party ;  I  have  a  perfect  right  to  force 
myself  on  that  crowd.  If  I  were  dressed,  I'd  do  it.  On 
my  word  of  honor,  I'd  do  it !  not  that  I  care  so  much 
for  the  banquet;  I  know  what  a  feast  is;  I've  had  a 
hand  in  a  few  of  them  in  my  time,  God  knows !  and 
some  that  this  one  can't  hold  a  candle  to.  Sapristi ! 
what  is  this  that  I  feel  against  my  legs  ?  " 

"  Don't  move,  monsieur,  I  beg  you  !  Abdallah's  string 
has  got  tangled  round  your  legs  ;  I'll  untwist  it." 

"  Corbleu  !  madame,  that's  a  most  insufferable  dog  of 
yours !  When  you're  leading  a  dog,  you  shouldn't  give 
him  so  much  string." 

The  old  woman,  having  succeeded  in  disentangling  her 
spaniel  from  our  friend's  legs,  concluded  to  take  Abdallah 
in  her  arms,  then  went  away,  glaring  fiercely  at  all  those  in 
her  neighborhood. 

But  Monsieur  Cherami,  being  rid  of  the  dog,  turned 
about  and  spied  the  stout  woman  and  the  two  small  boys, 
who  were  still  awaiting  an  opportunity  to  go  to  Belleville. 


26  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

Thereupon  he  exclaimed  anew,  saluting  profusely,  and 
shouting  so  loud  that  he  attracted  the  attention  of  every- 
body within  hearing : 

"  God  bless  me !  do  I  see  Madame  Capucine  ?  What 
a  fortunate  meeting !  I  didn't  expect  such  good  fortune. 
What !  you  have  been  here  all  the  time,  madame,  and  I 
did  not  see  you  !  " 

"  Yes,  Monsieur  Cherami ;  here  I  am,  and  here  I've 
been  a  long,  long  time,  alas !  I'm  getting  pretty  impa- 
tient, I  tell  you;  think  of  having  to  wait  an  hour  for 
seats  in  an  omnibus  !  " 

"  Don't  speak  of  it ;  it's  intolerable !  That's  the  rea- 
son I  always  walk,  myself;  I  can't  make  up  my  mind 
to  wait.  Ah !  there  are  the  two  dear  boys,  Nar- 
cisse  and  Aristoloche ;  they  improve  every  day — they'll 
be  superb  men — they're  the  living  portraits  of  their 
mother ! " 

A  smile,  to  which  she  strove  to  give  an  expression  of 
modesty,  played  about  Madame  Capucine's  lips,  as  she 
replied  affectedly: 

"  Oh  !  there's  a  look  of  the  father,  too !  " 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  No,  I  can't  see  it ;  Capucine 
isn't  a  handsome  man ;  an  insignificant  face ;  while  his 

wife Ah !  the  rascal  showed  taste  in  his  choice, 

on  my  word !  But  I  don't  understand  how  you  ever 
made  up  your  mind  to  marry  him ;  if  I  were  a  woman, 
I'd  never  have  done  it;  it's  Venus  and  Vulcan  over 
again." 

"  Oh !  you  always  exaggerate,  Monsieur  Cherami ;  to 
hear  you  talk,  one  would  think  my  husband  was  hunch- 
backed." 

"  If  he  isn't,  he  ought  to  have  been." 

"  What !  what  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 


THE   CAPUCINE  FAMILY  27 

"  Sh  !  I  know  what  I  mean.  Ah  !  if  Capucine  wasn't 
a  friend  of  mine  !  " 

"Adelaide!  Adelaide!  I  think  that's  a  green  'bus 
coming ;  come  here,  quick  !  " 

The  servant  left  the  office,  with  her  basket.  Monsieur 
Cherami  greeted  her  with  an  affable  bow,  which  she 
barely  acknowledged,  muttering : 

"  Bah  !  there  goes  the  rest  of  our  money !  I  wonder 
if  that  man's  coming  to  dine  with  us  ?  If  he  is,  there'll 
never  be  enough  to  eat." 

"Are  you  going  into  the  country,  Madame  Capucine?" 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  we're  going  to  Romainville." 

"  Have  you  bought  a  summer  house,  a  villa,  in  that 
neighborhood  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur;  my  Aunt  Duponceau  has  a  little  place 
there,  and  we're  going  to  pass  Sunday  with  her." 

"  You  begin  the  day  before,  I  see." 

"  She  made  me  promise  to  come  Saturday  with  the 
children.  Capucine  will  join  us  to  morrow." 

"Ah  !  he  isn't  with  you  ?  " 

"  It  wasn't  possible ;  we  can't  all  leave  at  once,  on 
account  of  the  business ;  it's  stretching  a  point  for  me  to 
go  away  with  my  servant." 

"  But  you  have  your  clerk  ?  " 

"  Monsieur  Ballot  ?  Oh  !  yes,  he's  still  with  us  ;  we're 
very  lucky  to  have  him — a  very  intelligent  fellow,  and 
full  of  ideas." 

Monsieur  Cherami  smiled  maliciously,  as  he  replied : 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  saw  at  once  that  he  attended  to  your 
business  very  well.  I'm  sure  that  you'll  push  that  young 
man  ahead." 

"  Oh !  he'll  push  himself  all  right.  He's  coming  to 
Romainville  to-morrow  with  my  husband." 


28  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  The  party'll  be  complete,  then ;  but,  meanwhile,  you 
are  without  an  escort  to  give  you  his  arm,  to  look  out 
for  you." 

"  There  is  no  danger  on  this  little  trip." 

"  A  lovely  woman  is  always  in  danger.  All  the  men 
are  tempted  to  carry  her  off.  They  don't  always  yield 
to  the  temptation,  but  they  feel  it,  I  promise  you.  Par- 
dieu !  I  have  my  cue — a  charming  plan  suggests  itself 
to  my  mind :  suppose  I  go  with  you  to  Romainville  ? 
Your  Aunt  Duponceau  won't  be  sorry  to  see  me,  I'm 
sure.  Indeed,  I  believe  she  urged  me  one  day  to  go  to 
see  her  in  the  country — yes,  she  certainly  did.  What  do 
you  think  of  that  plan,  lovely  creature  ?  " 

Madame  Capucine,  having  carefully  scrutinized  her 
friend's  costume,  seemed  not  at  all  anxious  to  take  with 
her  to  the  country  a  cavalier  whose  attire  would  not 
do  her  honor ;  and  so,  instead  of  answering  his  question, 
she  observed : 

"  By  the  way,  Monsieur  Cherami,  my  husband  told  me, 
if  I  should  happen  to  meet  you,  to  remind  you  of  that 
little  bill — you  know,  eh  ?  It's  for  some  flannel  vests, 
and  it's  been  running  a  long  while.  You  promised  to 
pay  it ;  I  believe  it's  about  a  hundred  and  thirty  francs." 

Monsieur  Cherami  made  a  wry  face,  and  struck  his  hat 
with  his  hand,  muttering : 

"  Oh !  madame,  I  know  very  well  that  I  owe  you  a 
small  account,  a  trifle,  a  mere  nothing ;  but  I  have  had 
much  more  important  matters  than  that  to  think  about." 

"  It's  been  running  at  least  three  years." 

"  What  if  it  were  twenty  years  !  it's  a  trifle,  none  the 
less." 

"  Madame,  madame !  they're  calling  our  numbers ;  there 
are  some  seats." 


THE   CAPUCINE  FAMILY  29 

"  Ah  !  mon  Dieu  !  I  must  go.  Come,  Aristoloche ; 
come,  I  say.  Bonjour!  Monsieur  Cherami ;  think  of  us 
when  you  have  time.  Mon  Dieu  !  I  don't  say  it  to  hurry 
you,  you  know.  Here  I  am,  conductor." 

Madame  Capucine  and  her  boys  ran  after  the  servant, 
and  soon  all  four  were  in  the  omnibus. 

"There  are  two  more  seats,  mesdemoiselles,"  said  the 
clerk  to  the  two  grisettes,  who  also  had  numbers  for 
Belleville ;  but  Mademoiselle  Laurette  shook  her  head. 

"Thanks,"  she  replied;  "we'll  give  up  our  chance; 
we'll  wait  for  the  next ;  I  don't  travel  with  fish.  In  a 
boat,  it's  all  right;  but  in  a  carriage  it  scents  you  up 
too  much." 

As  for  Monsieur  Cherami,  he  had  hardly  responded  to 
Madame  Capucine's  farewell ;  he  looked  after  her  with  a 
disdainful  air,  saying : 

"  What  a  beast  that  haberdasher  is !  to  talk  to  me 
about  the  balance  of  an  account,  in  the  street,  in  broad 
daylight,  when  I  am  kind  enough  to  pay  her  compli- 
ments and  to  call  her  two  little  brats  pretty !  Go  and 
sell  your  cotton  nightcaps,  you  Hottentot  Venus !  for 
that  woman  strikes  me  as  a  caricature  of  Venus.  Fine 
stuff  her  flannel  vests  are  made  of;  I've  only  worn  them 
three  years,  and  they're  torn  already!  I  see  plainly 
enough  why  you  don't  care  to  have  me  go  to  Aunt 
Duponceau's — that  might  interfere  with  your  little  tete- 
a-tetes  with  your  clerk  Ballot.  Oh  !  poor  Capucine ! 
when  I  told  that  huge  woman  that  her  husband  ought 
to  be  hunchbacked,  she  knew  what  I  meant.  However, 
I'd  be  glad  to  know  where  I  shall  dine  to-day ;  indeed, 
to  express  my  meaning  more  frankly,  for  I  can  afford  to 
be  frank  with  myself,  I  would  like  to  know  if  I  shall 
dine  at  all  to-day." 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


VI 

MONSIEUR  CHERAMI 

It  is  a  very  sad  thing  to  have  reached  the  point  where 
one  wonders  whether  one  will  have  any  dinner.  And 
yet  there  are  every  day  in  Paris  people  who  find  them- 
selves in  that  predicament ;  but  it  is  comforting  to  know 
that  such  people  generally  end  by  dining;  some  very 
meagrely,  to  be  sure,  others  moderately  well,  and  others 
very  well  indeed  and  as  if  they  were  still  prosperous. 
Those  who  succeed  in  dining  well  generally  accomplish 
that  end  by  some  stratagem,  by  some  new  exertion  of 
the  imagination,  which,  however,  must  well-nigh  have 
exhausted  its  ingenuity.  What  seems  to  me  most  sur- 
prising is  that  they  dine  gayly,  with  an  excellent  appetite, 
and  with  no  concern  for  the  morrow.  One  becomes  ac- 
customed to  everything,  they  say ;  if  that  is  philosophy, 
I  do  not  envy  the  philosophers. 

Especially  when  one  has  fallen  into  adversity  by  his 
own  fault,  his  misconduct,  his  dissipated  life,  it  would 
seem  that  adversity  must  be  most  painful,  most  bitter, 
most  difficult  to  endure,  and  that  shame  must  be  his 
constant  companion. 

Those  who  are  really  victims  of  the  injustice  of  fate, 
or  of  the  stupidity  of  their  contemporaries,  can,  at  all 
events,  hold  their  heads  erect  and  refrain  from  blushing 
because  of  their  poverty.  Such  were  Homer,  who  was 
not  appreciated  during  his  life ;  Plautus,  who  was  reduced 
to  the  necessity  of  turning  a  potter's  wheel ;  Xylander, 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI  31 

who  sold  his  work  on  Dion  Cassius  to  obtain  a  crust  of 
bread ;  Lelio  Girardi,  author  of  a  curious  history  of  the 
Greek  and  Latin  poets,  who  was  reduced  to  a  similar 
extremity;  Usserius,  too,  a  learned  chronologist ;  Cor- 
nelius Agrippa,  who  wrote  on  the  vanity  of  learning, 
and  the  excellent  qualities  of  womankind ;  and  the  illus- 
trious Miguel  Cervantes,  to  whom  we  owe  the  admirable 
romance  of  Don  Quixote. 

We  may  add  to  this  list  Paul  Borghese,  who  died  of 
hunger;  Tasso,  who  lived  a  whole  week  on  a  crown, 
which  someone  loaned  him :  true,  he  ceased  to  be  poor, 
but  only  on  the  eve  of  his  death ;  Aldus  Manutius,  who 
was  so  poor  that  he  became  bankrupt  simply  by  borrow- 
ing money  enough  to  ship  his  library  from  Venice  to 
Rome,  whither  he  had  been  summoned ;  Cardinal  Benti- 
voglio,  to  whom  we  owe  the  history  of  the  civil  wars 
of  Flanders :  he  did  not  leave  enough  to  pay  for  his 
burial ;  Baudoin,  translator  of  almost  all  the  Latin  au- 
thors ;  Vauglas,  the  grammarian ;  Du  Ryer,  author  of 
tragedies,  and  translator  of  the  Koran ;  all  these  lived  in 
indigence.  But  we  will  pause  here;  examples  are  not 
lacking,  but  they  would  carry  us  too  far ;  and  then,  they 
are  not  cheerful,  and  are  out  of  our  usual  line ;  it  was 
Monsieur  Cherami's  plight  which  induced  us  to  cite  so 
many.  Let  us  now  return  to  that  gentleman. 

Monsieur  Cherami,  whom  we  have  seen  so  poorly 
dressed,  and  uncertain  as  to  whether  he  will  have  any 
dinner,  had  once  occupied  a  brilliant  position,  and  had 
been  noted  for  his  dress,  his  bearing,  and  his  gallant 
adventures.  His  father,  who  had  been  an  eminent  figure 
in  the  magistracy  during  the  Consulate,  had  no  other 
child.  Arthur  (such  was  Monsieur  Cherami's  baptismal 
name)  had  been  petted,  fondled,  worshipped,  spoiled,  and 


32  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

his  parents  had  proposed  to  make  a  great  man  of  him. 
Poor  parents !  who  believe  that  they  can  make  their  son 
an  eminent  personage,  just  as  they  would  make  him  a 
tailor  or  a  bootmaker.  Arthur  did  become  great,  but  in 
stature  only.  They  sent  him  to  school  and  gave  him 
an  excellent  education ;  young  Cherami  learned  readily 
enough ;  he  was  intelligent  and  quick-witted ;  he  became 
especially  strong  in  such  elegant  accomplishments  as 
fencing,  riding,  and  gymnastics ;  but  he  had  the  greatest 
aversion  for  serious  work  of  every  sort,  and  when  his 
parents  asked  him :  "  Do  you  want  to  be  a  lawyer,  a 
doctor,  a  man  of  letters,  a  broker,  or  a  general  ?  "  Arthur 
replied :  "  I  prefer  to  walk  on  the  boulevards  and  smoke 
big  eight-sou  cigars." 

This  reply,  which  left  nothing  to  be  desired  in  the  way 
of  frankness,  indicated  a  most  generous  inclination  to 
consume  the  fortune  which  his  parents  had  so  laboriously 
amassed  in  business,  and  which,  in  fact,  they  left  to  their 
beloved  son  without  undue  delay.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  Arthur,  who  had  as  yet  done  nothing  else  than 
promenade  and  smoke,  found  himself  an  orphan  and 
possessed  of  thirty-five  thousand  francs  a  year. 

Thereupon,  he  abandoned  himself  to  his  taste  for 
pleasure,  augmented  by  a  very  keen  penchant  for  the 
fair  sex;  and  the  fair  sex  is  never  ungrateful  to  a  rich 
and  open-handed  man.  Arthur  was  not  handsome :  his 
crooked  nose,  his  small  eyes,  and  his  pointed  chin,  did 
not  tend  to  make  him  a  very  attractive  youth ;  however, 
the  women  told  him  again  and  again  that  he  was  charm- 
ing, adorable,  irresistible,  and  he  believed  it.  We  are  so 
ready  to  believe  anything  that  flatters  our  self-esteem ! 
And  yet,  Arthur  was  no  fool ;  indeed,  he  had  his  share 
of  wit ;  but  he  was  totally  lacking  in  common  sense,  and 


MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI  33 

without  common  sense,  wit,  as  a  general  rule,  serves  no 
other  purpose  than  to  make  one  do  foolish  things. 
La  Rochefoucauld  makes  this  reflection  with  respect  to 
women ;  for  my  part,  I  consider  it  perfectly  applicable 
to  both  sexes. 

At  thirty  years,  Beau  Cherami  had  spent,  consumed, 
swallowed,  his  entire  inheritance.  But  he  had  been  noted 
for  his  costumes,  his  horses,  his  conquests,  his  love  affairs. 
Eight  years  to  run  through  a  fortune  worth  thirty-five 
thousand  francs  a  year — that  is  not  such  a  very  rapid 
pace ;  we  often  see  young  men  who  use  up  three  times 
as  much  in  much  less  time;  to  be  sure,  young  Arthur  did 
not  gamble  on  the  Bourse. 

Being  obliged  then  to  sell  his  furniture,  horses,  and 
silverware,  Cherami  lived  some  time  longer  on  the  product 
of  the  sale ;  but  his  friends  already  began  to  find  him 
less  clever  and  amiable,  and  the  women  no  longer  called 
him  their  handsome  Arthur.  That  was  because  he  could 
no  longer  make  them  beautiful  presents ;  and  instead  of 
loaning  money  to  his  friends  and  paying  their  shares 
of  the  expense  of  an  orgy,  he  asked  them  to  pay  for 
him,  and  often  applied  to  them  for  loans. 

At  thirty-five,  Arthur  was  what  these  good  friends  of 
his  called  utterly  degomme  :  in  other  words,  ruined.  After 
he  had  lived  for  some  time  on  credit,  his  tailor,  his  shirt- 
maker,  his  bootmaker,  refused  to  trust  him  any  more ; 
whereupon  he  was  obliged  to  wear  garments  that  were 
worn  and  faded,  and  eventually  threadbare;  hats  that 
had  turned  from  black  to  rusty;  worn  boots  that  were 
rarely  polished.  When  Cherami,  in  this  garb,  said  to 
one  of  his  former  acquaintances :  "  I  have  left  my  purse 
at  home;  lend  me  twenty  francs,  will  you  ?  "  the  acquaint- 
ance would  make  a  wry  face  and  loan  him  five  francs 


34 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


instead  of  twenty,  and  sometimes  nothing  at  all ;  for  a 
man  in  a  threadbare  coat  does  not  inspire  confidence. 
We  loan  money  to  the  rich,  because  we  think  that  they 
will  return  it. 

After  some  time,  Beau  Arthur  found  that  this  last 
source  of  income  was  exhausted.  He  had  said  so  often 
to  his  quondam  friends :  "  I  have  forgotten  my  purse," 
or:  "I  have  just  discovered  that  there's  a  hole  in  my 
pocket,"  that  they  fled  as  soon  as  they  saw  him ;  many 
of  them  even  ceased  to  return  his  bow,  and  pretended  not 
to  know  him.  Misfortune  is  the  reef  on  which  friendship 
is  wrecked. 

However,  Cherami  still  possessed  a  remnant  of  his 
handsome  fortune ;  a  very  small  remnant,  but  enough  to 
keep  him  from  starving;  and  chance  had  decreed  that 
the  ci-devant  beau  could  not  dispose  of  it,  otherwise  he 
would  not  have  failed  to  make  away  with  it  like  the  rest. 


VII 

THE  COAL  DEALER 

The  father  of  our  spendthrift  had,  shortly  before  his 
death,  obliged  one  of  his  employes  by  loaning  him  eleven 
thousand  francs  to  start  in  the  coal  business.  And  the 
creditor,  knowing  his  debtor's  probity,  had  made  the  loan 
subject  to  no  other  condition  than  this :  "  You  will  pay 
my  son  the  interest  on  this  sum  at  five  per  cent.  That 
makes  five  hundred  and  fifty  francs  a  year  that  you  will 
have  to  pay  him  so  long  as  it  doesn't  inconvenience  you  ; 
and,  in  any  event,  not  more  than  ten  years.  After  that 


THE   COAL  DEALER  35 

time,  your  debt  will  be  paid.  But  it  must  be  understood 
that  I  forbid  you  ever  to  repay  the  principal." 

These  conditions  were  witnessed  by  no  written  con- 
tract; the  merchant  had  declined  to  take  his  debtor's 
note.  But  the  latter  had  faithfully  carried  out  his  former 
employer's  intentions.  Every  three  months,  he  brought 
Arthur  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  francs  fifty  cen- 
times, the  stipulated  interest  of  the  money  he  had  re- 
ceived. In  his  prosperous  days,  when  he  still  had  an 
income  of  thirty-five  thousand  francs,  young  Arthur  had 
often  said  to  Bernardin — that  was  the  coal  dealer's  name : 

"What  the  devil  do  you  expect  me  to  do  with  your 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  francs,  Bernardin  ?  As  if  I 
cared  for  such  a  trifle !  Go  and  have  a  good  fish  dinner 
at  La  Rapee — with  some  pretty  wench.  That  will  be 
much  better.  I  consider  that  you've  paid  up." 

But  the  coal  dealer,  an  upright,  economical  man, 
scrupulously  exact  in  all  his  dealings,  always  contented 
himself  with  replying : 

"  I  owe  you  this  money,  monsieur ;  it's  the  interest  on 
what  your  late  father  was  kind  enough  to  give  me.  I  say 
give,  because  my  late  excellent  master  would  not  even 
let  me  pay  him  the  interest." 

"  I  know  all  that,  Bernardin ;  I  know  all  that ;  but, 
you  see,  I  don't  ask  you  for  the  interest  either.  You 
are  welcome  to  keep  it ;  buy  bonbons  for  your  children 
with  it." 

"My  children  have  all  they  need,  monsieur;  and  I 
make  it  a  point  to  fulfil  my  engagements." 

"  There  is  no  real  obligation  in  this  case,  as  I  have  no 
note,  no  receipt,  from  you." 

"  Between  honest  men  there's  no  need  of  any  writing, 
monsieur.  I  offered  your  father  a  note,  and  he  positively 


36  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

refused;  just  as  he  forbade  me  ever  to  repay  the  principal 
on  which  I  pay  you  the  interest." 

"And  you  are  to  pay  the  interest  only  ten  years;  I 
know  that  too." 

"  Oh !  as  to  that,  monsieur,  I  made  your  father  no 
answer  when  he  added  that  condition ;  but  I  shall  do 
my  duty." 

And  the  honest  coal  dealer  took  his  departure,  leaving 
with  Arthur  the  small  sum  he  had  brought. 

When  the  thirty-five  thousand  francs  a  year  had  dis- 
appeared, and  Arthur  was  reduced  to  the  necessity  of 
turning  his  furniture  into  cash,  he  received  less  scornfully 
the  hundred  and  thirty-seven  francs  fifty  centimes  which 
Bernardin  never  failed  to  bring  him  on  the  first  of  each 
of  the  months  when  rent  falls  due. 

One  day,  Cherami,  having  no  more  furniture,  jewels, 
or  horses  to  sell,  had  taken  a  furnished  lodging,  when 
Bernardin  brought  him  his  quarterly  interest.  The  faith- 
ful coal  dealer  was  informed  as  to  the  conduct  of  his 
former  employer's  son ;  he  had  watched  the  young  man 
squander  in  riotous  living  the  fortune  which  his  parents 
had  amassed  with  such  unremitting  toil ;  sell  the  house 
they  had  left  him;  then  move  from  a  fine  hotel  to  a 
more  modest  apartment,  and  finally  to  furnished  lodgings. 
Bernardin  had  never  ventured  to  make  the  slightest  com- 
ment ;  but  at  each  new  downward  plunge  of  the  young 
man,  he  heaved  a  profound  sigh,  and  said  to  himself: 

"  O  my  poor  master !  it's  very  fortunate  that  you  do 
not  see  your  son's  conduct ! " 

Now,  on  the  day  in  question,  Arthur,  being  absolutely 
penniless,  was  overjoyed  when  his  paltry  income  arrived  ; 
but  as  Bernardin,  having  paid  the  money,  was  about  to 
leave  him,  he  detained  him,  saying : 


THE  COAL  DEALER  37 

"  Look  you,  Monsieur  Bernardin,  I  have  a  proposition 
to  make  to  you." 

"  I  am  listening,  monsieur." 

"  You  bring  me  regularly  the  interest  on  the  eleven 
thousand  francs  which  you  received  from  my  father;  you 
would  be  perfectly  justified,  however,  in  ceasing  to  pay 
it ;  for  more  than  ten  years  have  passed,  and " 

"  I  think  I  have  told  you,  monsieur,  that  I  should  con- 
tinue to  pay  it ;  I  should  not  consider  that  I  had  paid  my 
debt,  otherwise." 

"  Very  good !  Far  be  it  from  me  to  blame  such  scru- 
pulous probity;  but  I  am  going  to  propose  to  you  a 
method  of  paying  your  debt  once  for  all.  Give  me 
a  thousand  crowns — three  thousand  francs — cash;  that 
will  gratify  me,  indeed,  it  will  be  a  favor  to  me,  be- 
cause with  three  thousand  francs  one  can  do  some- 
thing, you  know ;  whereas  I  can't  do  anything  at  all 
with  your  hundred  and  thirty-seven  francs.  So  give  me 
that  amount  in  cash,  and  I  will  discharge  you  entirely 
and  you'll  have  no  more  interest  to  pay  me.  Is  that 
satisfactory  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  I  can't  do  that." 

"  Why  not,  if  I  am  satisfied  ?  " 

"  It  wouldn't  satisfy  me  to  discharge  a  life-rent  of  five 
hundred  and  fifty  francs  for  three  thousand  francs ;  that 
would  be  usury." 

"  What  are  you  talking  about  with  your  usury  ?  if  it 
suits  me,  if  I  ask  it  as  a  favor " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  I  must  not  accept  this  proposition." 

"  Very  well !  then  give  me  the  eleven  thousand  francs 
you  received,  as  you're  so  finical  in  the  matter  of  probity. 
In  that  way,  your  conscience  will  be  altogether  at  rest, 
and  we  shall  both  be  satisfied." 


38  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

"  No,  monsieur ;  I  will  not  hand  you  the  principal  sum 
which  I  received,  because  your  father  expressly  forbade  me 
to  do  it.  That  was  the  first  condition  on  which  he  let 
me  have  the  money ;  and  who  knows  if  he  didn't  read  the 
future  then  ?  if  he  didn't  foresee  that  the  day  would  come 
when  this  small  income  would  be  his  son's  last  resource?" 

"  Monsieur  Bernardin,  you  presume  to " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  monsieur;  I  do  not  presume  at  all. 
But  monsieur  must  realize  that  I  am  aware  of  his  position." 

"  My  position  ?  Why,  pardieu  !  it's  the  position  of  all 
young  men  who  have  lived  well,  who  have  amused  them- 
selves, and  adored  the  ladies." 

"  True,  monsieur;  but  perhaps  you  have  been  too  kind, 
too  generous,  to  them." 

"I  have  done  what  I  chose;  if  I  could  begin  over  again, 
I  would  do  the  same." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it,  monsieur ;  and,  of  course,  you  are 
at  liberty  to  dispose  of  your  own  property." 

"  Yes,  to  be  sure  I  am — that  is  to  say,  I  was.  Come,  Ber- 
nardin, won't  you  give  me  the  eleven  thousand  francs  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  for,  from  above,  your  father  would 
blame  me." 

"  Give  me  a  thousand  crowns,  then." 

"  Not  that,  either ;  but  I  shall  continue  to  pay  monsieur 
the  interest ;  and  if  I  should  die  to-morrow,  my  children 
would  continue  to  pay  it.  Oh !  it's  a  sacred  thing,  and 
monsieur  can  rely  upon  it." 

"  Very  good !  pay  me  three  years  in  advance :  sixteen 
hundred  and  fifty  francs.  You  can't  refuse  me  that  ?  " 

"  Excuse  me,  monsieur ;  I  do  refuse,  and  in  your  own 
interest;  for  you  would  spend  the  three  years'  interest 
in  less  than  six  months ;  and  then  you  would  not  have 
even  that  trifling  resource." 


THE   COAL  DEALER  39 

"  Monsieur  Bernardin,  do  you  refuse  to  make  me  any 
advance  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  do  it,  monsieur." 

"  Very  well !  off  with  you,  then ;  I  have  my  cue ! " 

Bernardin  saluted  his  late  master's  son  with  the  utmost 
respect,  and  took  his  leave. 

Some  time  after,  when  he  was  in  a  most  desperate 
plight,  Arthur  Cherami  had  renewed  his  urgent  solicita- 
tions to  Bernardin,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  a  little  inter- 
est in  advance  or  a  portion  of  the  principal ;  but  all  his 
entreaties  were  of  no  avail.  The  old  fellow  was  not  to 
be  moved,  and  his  resolution  was  the  more  inflexible 
because  he  knew  that  by  acting  thus  he  was  saving  a 
modest  income  for  his  benefactor's  son. 

The  years  passed.  Far  from  becoming  wiser  in  the 
school  of  adversity,  the  ci-devant  Beau  Arthur  retained 
the  same  passions,  the  same  faults,  and  the  same  imper- 
tinence, as  in  his  prosperous  days.  Doubtless  forty-six 
francs  a  month  is  a  very  small  allowance ;  it  amounts  to 
about  thirty  sous  per  day ;  and  when  with  that  amount 
a  man  must  board,  lodge,  and  clothe  himself,  he  must 
needs  live  very  sparingly.  However,  in  this  Paris  of 
ours,  where  living  is  said  to  be  so  expensive,  since  the 
opening  of  those  beneficent  establishments  for  the  sale 
of  soup  and  cooked  beef,  and  especially  since  those 
establishments  have  conceived  the  happy  idea  of  serving 
their  own  products,  a  man  may  dine  for  seven  sous ; 
yes,  reader,  for  seven  sous!  to  wit:  soup,  two  sous;  beef, 
three  sous;  bread,  two  sous.  And  that  man  will  have 
eaten  more  healthful  and  more  nourishing  food  than  he 
who,  for  thirty-two  sous,  regales  himself  with  soup,  his 
choice  of  three  entrees,  dessert,  bread  at  discretion,  and 
a  pint  of  wine. 


40  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

But  when  Monsieur  Cherami  received  his  quarterly 
interest,  instead  of  husbanding  that  small  sum,  his  last 
resource,  paying  some  few  debts,  and  dining  inexpen- 
sively at  one  of  the  soup-kitchens,  he  would  betake 
himself,  with  head  erect  and  an  arrogant  air,  to  one  of 
the  best  restaurants  in  Paris,  take  his  seat  with  a  great 
flourish,  call  the  waiter,  and  order  a  sumptuous  dinner 
of  the  daintiest  dishes  and  the  most  expensive  wines ; 
and  all  in  such  wise  that  everybody  who  was  in  the 
room  could  hear  him.  In  short,  he  would  resume  his 
role  of  dandy,  forgetting  that  he  no  longer  wore  the  cos- 
tume of  the  role,  yet  imposing  respect  on  the  multitude 
by  his  lordly  manner. 

Some  said :  "  He's  an  original,  who  affects  a  shabby 
costume  to  conceal  the  fact  that  he's  a  millionaire." 
Others :  "  He  is  some  foreigner,  some  eminent  person- 
age, who  desires  to  remain  incognito  in  Paris." 

And  the  waiters  served  promptly  and  with  the  utmost 
respect  this  party  in  a  threadbare  frock-coat,  who  ate 
truffled  partridges  and  drank  champagne  frappe;  and 
when  he  paid  his  bill,  Cherami  never  took  the  change 
which  the  waiter  brought  him,  even  if  it  amounted  to 
two  or  three  francs. 

"All  right!"  he  would  cry;  "  keep  that;  it's  for  you  !" 

Thereupon,  the  waiter  would  bow  to  the  ground  before 
so  generous  a  patron ;  and  he  would  stalk  forth  proudly 
from  the  restaurant,  enchanted  with  the  effect  he  had 
produced.  And  the  next  morning  he  would  have  nothing 
with  which  to  procure  a  dinner. 

I  beg  you  not  to  believe  that  this  character  is  an 
imaginary  one;  that  there  are  no  men  foolish  enough 
to  act  in  this  way ;  there  are,  and  many  of  them.  For 
our  own  part,  we  have  known  more  than  one. 


THE   COAL  DEALER  41 

But  when  naught  remained  of  the  small  quarterly  pay- 
ment, he  had  to  live  anew  on  loans  and  stratagems ;  he 
had  to  content  himself  with  the  very  modest  fare  of  a 
cheap  restaurant,  where  the  mistress  was  willing  to  supply 
him  on  credit  because  he  flattered  her  and  compared  her 
with  Venus,  although  she  was  blear-eyed  and  had  a  purple 
nose.  In  that  place  he  could  not  order  champagne  and 
truffles,  to  be  sure;  that  would  have  been  a  waste  of 
time ;  but  Cherami  found  a  way,  none  the  less,  to  make 
a  sensation :  shouting  louder  than  anybody  else,  bewil- 
dering everybody  with  his  chatter,  and  always  having 
some  marvellous  adventure  to  relate,  of  which  he  was 
the  hero,  and  in  which  he  had  performed  wonderful 
exploits.  If  one  of  his  auditors  seemed  to  doubt  the 
veracity  of  his  narrative,  he  would  insult  him,  threaten 
him,  challenge  him,  insist  on  fighting  him  instanter,  and, 
in  order  to  pacify  my  gentleman  and  restore  peace,  the 
person  abused  must  needs  treat  him  to  nothing  less  than 
a  cup  of  coffee  followed  by  a  petit  verre  of  liqueur.  As 
for  the  waiters,  as  he  had  nothing  to  give  them,  he 
treated  them  like  dogs,  and  threatened  them  with  his 
switch  when  they  did  not  serve  him  promptly  enough. 

If,  instead  of  passing  his  time  in  smoking  and  loitering, 
Monsieur  Cherami  had  chosen  to  do  something,  he  might 
have  increased  his  income,  and  have  lived  without  con- 
stantly resorting  to  loans.  He  was  well  informed ;  he  re- 
tained from  his  early  education  a  superficial  idea  of  many 
things ;  he  knew  quite  a  lot,  in  fact,  and  might  have  passed 
for  a  scholar  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  knew  nothing.  His 
handwriting  was  so  good  that  he  could  have  obtained 
work  as  a  copyist  In  his  youth,  he  had  studied  music, 
and  he  could  play  the  violin  a  little;  he  might  have  made 
something  of  his  talent  in  that  direction  and  have  found  a 


42  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

place  in  the  orchestra  of  a  second-class  theatre,  or  played 
in  dance-halls  for  the  grisette  and  the  mechanic. 

But  the  ci-devant  Beau  Arthur  considered  every  sort 
of  work  that  was  suggested  to  him  very  far  beneath 
him ;  he  thought  that  he  would  degrade  himself  by  be- 
coming a  copyist  or  a  minstrel,  and  he  was  not  ashamed 
to  borrow  a  hundred  sous  when  he  knew  that  he  could 
not  repay  them.  What  do  such  people  understand  by  the 
word  honor?  Let  us  conclude  that  they  fashion  a  kind 
of  honor  for  their  own  use,  just  as  some  painters  paint 
scenes  from  nature  in  which  there  is  nothing  natural, 
but  which  by  common  consent  are  called  conventional 
nature. 

One  day,  when  he  was  without  a  sou,  having  been 
denied  by  all  those  from  whom  he  had  sought  to  borrow, 
and  not  daring  to  go  to  his  cheap  restaurant,  because  the 
mistress  was  absent,  Cherami  found  himself  confronted 
by  the  stern  necessity  of  going  without  a  mouthful  of 
dinner,  when  it  occurred  to  him  to  call  upon  his  payer 
of  interest.  So  he  set  out  for  the  abode  of  the  coal 
dealer,  saying  to  himself  on  the  way : 

"  Bernardin  always  refuses  to  make  me  the  smallest 
advance ;  but,  sacrebleu !  when  I  tell  him  that  I  have 
nothing  with  which  to  pay  for  a  dinner,  it  isn't  possible 
that  he  will  let  me  starve  to  death." 

The  modest  tradesman  was  just  about  to  sit  down  to 
dinner  with  his  family  when  Cherami  appeared,  crying : 

"The  deuce!  it  would  seem  that  you  are  about  to  dine ! 
You're  very  lucky !  For  my  part,  I  haven't  the  means 
to  pay  for  a  dinner.  Lend  me  a  crown,  Bernardin,  so 
that  I  can  satisfy  my  hunger,  too." 

"  I  never  have  money  to  loan,"  the  coal  dealer  replied 
respectfully ;  "  but  if  monsieur  will  do  us  the  honor  to 


THE  RESTAURANT  IN  PARC  SAINT-FARGEAU       43 

take  a  seat  at  our  table,  we  shall  be  happy  to  offer  him  a 
share  of  our  modest  dinner." 

"  Oho !  that's  your  game !  Well,  so  be  it !  "  rejoined 
Cherami,  taking  his  seat  without  further  parley. 

But  Bernardin's  dinner  was  very  simple ;  it  consisted 
of  soup,  beef,  and  a  dish  of  potatoes.  The  wine  was 
Argenteuil,  and  very  new. 

Cherami  exclaimed  that  the  soup  was  watery,  the  beef 
tough,  and  the  wine  execrable;  for  dessert  there  was 
nothing  but  a  piece  of  Gerome  cheese,  which  he  declared 
to  be  fit  only  for  masons ;  and  he  was  much  surprised 
that  they  did  not  take  coffee  after  the  meal ;  in  short,  he 
rose  from  the  table  in  a  vile  humor,  saying  to  Bernardin 
and  his  wife : 

"  You  live  very  badly,  my  dears ;  you  live  like  rustics ; 
I  shall  not  dine  with  you  again." 

That  was  his  only  word  of  thanks  to  his  hosts. 


VIII 

THE  RESTAURANT  IN  PARC  SAINT-FARGEAU 

On  the  day  on  which  our  tale  opens,  Arthur  Cherami 
found  himself  anew  in  this  perplexing  plight,  which  was 
aggravated  by  the  circumstance  that  he  had  gone  without 
dinner  on  the  preceding  day. 

To  be  sure,  he  had  only  to  go  to  Bernardin's,  where 
he  was  very  sure  that  they  would  not  refuse  to  give  him 
a  dinner,  in  default  of  cash.  But  you  know  that  our 
ex-high-liver  was  far  from  satisfied  with  the  meal  of 
which  he  had  partaken  at  the  coal  dealer's  board;  not 


44 


MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 


only  did  he  find  everything  bad,  for  my  gentleman,  even 
in  his  poverty,  was  still  very  hard  to  please,  but  he  had 
discovered  that  at  his  debtor's  house  it  would  be  of  no 
use  for  him  to  try  to  blaguer — that  is  to  say,  to  put  on 
airs,  to  lie,  to  display  his  impertinence.  The  coal  dealer's 
family  did  not  even  smile  at  the  extraordinary  tales  he 
told,  and  it  was  that  fact  which  had  irritated  Cherami 
even  more  than  the  simplicity  of  the  dinner,  perhaps. 
At  the  cheap  resort  to  which  he  was  obliged  to  go  some- 
times, he  was  content  with  a  wretched,  ill-cooked  dish, 
because,  while  he  ate  it,  he  could  talk  at  the  top  of  his 
voice,  speechify,  and  force  most  of  the  habitues  of  the 
place  to  listen  to  him.  We  know  how  he  compelled 
those  who  ventured  not  to  believe  all  that  he  said  to  pay 
for  his  coffee. 

Arthur  had  no  business  whatever  at  the  omnibus  office, 
but  he  knew  that  one  frequently  meets  acquaintances  at 
such  places.  Amid  the  constant  going  and  coming,  de- 
partures and  arrivals,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  meet 
someone  whom  you  have  not  seen  for  a  long  time,  and 
whom  you  did  not  know  to  be  in  Paris.  So  that  Arthur, 
who  had  nothing  to  do,  frequently  visited  the  railroad 
stations,  where  he  walked  to  and  fro  in  front  of  the 
ticket  offices,  as  if  he  were  expecting  someone ;  and,  in 
fact,  he  was  always  expecting  that  chance  would  bring 
there  some  acquaintance  from  whom  he  could  borrow 
five  francs. 

Or  he  would  go  and  take  his  stand  in  front  of  an 
omnibus  office,  always  with  the  same  hope.  On  this 
occasion  he  had,  in  fact,  met  several  acquaintances,  but 
the  result  had  not  fulfilled  his  expectations.  Coldly 
greeted  by  Papa  Blanquette,  repulsed  by  Madame  Capu- 
cine,  he  was  beginning  to  think  that  he  should  not  make 


THE  RESTAURANT  IN  PARC  SAINT-FARGEAU      45 

his  expenses,  and  he  said  to  himself,  but  not  aloud  as 
usual : 

"  Sapristi !  what  times  are  these  we  live  in  ?  The  world 
is  becoming  vile  beyond  cleansing!  No  courtesy,  no 
affability,  no  good  manners !  Formerly,  when  I  met  a 
friend,  my  first  words  were :  '  You  must  come  to  dine 
with  me.' — He  might  accept  or  not,  but  I  had  made  the 
offer.  To-day,  I  meet  nobody  but  cads,  who  are  very 
careful  not  to  offer  me  the  slightest  thing ;  indeed,  many 
of  them  presume  to  pass  me  by,  and  act  as  if  they  didn't 
know  me.  There  are  others  who  carry  their  insolence 
so  far  as  to  dare  to  ask  me  for  some  paltry  hundred-sou 
pieces  which  they  have  loaned  me  and  I  have  not  paid. 
Pardieu  !  I've  loaned  them  plenty  of  'em  in  the  old  days ; 
and  I  never  asked  for  them,  because  I  knew  it  would  be 
of  no  use.  As  if  one  ever  returned  money  loaned  among 
friends !  As  if  what  belongs  to  one  doesn't  belong  to 
the  other!  That's  the  way  I  understand  friendship — 
that  noble,  genuine  friendship  which  united  Castor  and 
Pollux,  Damon  and  Pythias,  Achilles  and  Patroclus, 
Orestes  and  Pylades.  Do  we  find  in  the  Iliad  that  Pa- 
troclus ever  said  to  Achilles :  '  I  loaned  you  a  hundred 
sous,  or  twenty  francs ;  I  want  you  to  pay  them  '  ?  Bah  ! 
nothing  of  the  sort;  there's  no  instance  in  history  of 
such  a  thing !  And  I  defy  all  my  former  companions  in 
pleasure  to  cite  a  single  one.  However,  I  am  conscious 
to-day  that  the  need  of  eating  is  making  itself  felt;  I 
can't  go  to  my  little  cabaret  on  Rue  Basse-du-Temple, 
for  the  mistress  is  sick ;  her  husband  takes  her  place  at 
the  desk,  and  he  is  always  ill-disposed  toward  me ;  he 
presumes  to  ask  me  for  money!  Vile  turnspit!  do  you 
suppose  I  would  go  to  your  place  for  food  if  I  had 
money  ?  Ah !  there's  Bernardin ;  I  am  sure  of  a  dinner 


46  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

there ;  but  I  am  horribly  bored  with  those  good  people. 
And  then,  it  wounds  my  self-esteem  to  dine  with  one  of 
my  father's  former  clerks.  Corbleu !  can  it  be  that,  like 
Titus,  I  have  wasted  my  day  ?  " 

And  Cherami,  still  tapping  his  trousers  with  his  switch, 
cast  his  eyes  about  him.  Thereupon  he  spied  the  two 
girls  who  were  waiting  to  go  to  Belleville. 

"There  are  two  little  grisettes,  whose  aspect  rather 
pleases  me,"  he  said  to  himself,  throwing  his  weight  on 
his  left  hip;  "a  blonde  and  a  brunette — meat  for  the 
king's  attorney,  as  we  used  to  say  at  the  club.  They're 
pretty  hussies  both ;  the  blonde  has  a  rather  stupid 
look,  but  the  dark  one  has  wit  in  her  eye. — Suppose 
I  should  try  to  make  a  conquest  by  offering  them  a 
good  dinner  ?  Ten  to  one,  they'll  accept !  I  know  the 
sex;  these  girls  are  so  fond  of  eating!  Yes,  but  in 
that  case — they'll  have  to  pay  for  the  dinner ;  that  might 
embarrass  them,  and  I  don't  want  to  embarrass  any 
woman.  But  if  I  did,  I  should  do  no  more  than  avenge 
myself. " 

While  making  these  reflections,  Cherami  had  walked 
toward  the  young  women ;  he  struck  a  pose  in  front 
of  them,  humming  a  lively  tune,  and  darted  a  glance  at 
them  into  which  he  put  all  the  seductiveness  of  which 
he  was  still  capable.  The  young  women  looked  at  each 
other  and  laughed  heartily;  Mademoiselle  Laurette  went 
so  far  as  to  say,  in  a  bantering  tone  : 

"  That  must  be  a  smoke-pipe  from  the  Opera-Comique 
that  has  a  vent  in  this  neighborhood ;  however,  it's  better 
than  an  escape  of  gas." 

"  Aha !  we  are  clever  and  satirical ! "  said  Cherami, 
addressing  Mademoiselle  Laurette ;  "  I  had  guessed  as 
much,  simply  by  observing  your  saucy  face." 


THE  RESTAURANT  IN  PARC  SAINT-FARGEAU       47 

"  Why,  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,  monsieur ! "  re- 
plied the  girl,  trying  to  assume  a  serious  expression. 

"  I  was  simply  answering  the  reflection  in  which  you 
just  indulged  on  the  subject  of  a  roulade  which  I  ven- 
tured to  perform,  and  which,  perhaps,  was  not  rendered 
with  perfect  accuracy." 

"  But,  monsieur,  I  really  didn't  know  that  you  were 
singing ;  I  was  saying  to  my  friend  Lucie  that  we  should 
be  very  late  in  getting  to  the  restaurant  in  Pare  Saint- 
Fargeau,  and  that  I  didn't  know  whether  there  was 
dancing  there  on  Saturday." 

"  Aha !  so  the  young  ladies  are  going  to  Pare  Saint- 
Fargeau  ? — That  is  just  beyond  Belleville,  I  believe?" 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

"  And  there's  a  restaurant  there  now,  where  they  have 
dancing  ?  Pardon  me,  I  ask  simply  for  information,  being 
a  great  lover  of  places  where  one  can  dine  well — and 
enjoy  one's  self;  and  it's  a  long  while  since  I  have  been 
in  that  neighborhood." 

"  In  that  case,  you'll  find  great  changes.  Yes,  mon- 
sieur; there  is  a  restaurant  now  in  Pare  Saint- Fargeau, 
with  a  large  garden  where  there's  a  pond.  But  it's  no 
toy  pond ;  it's  big  enough  for  a  boat,  and  you  can  go 
rowing;  it's  quite  big,  and  there's  an  island  in  it  which 
you  can  row  around  if  you're  very  careful,  for  the  water's 
quite  deep." 

"  You  can  be  drowned  in  it,"  observed  Mademoiselle 
Lucie. 

"  Oho !  one  has  also  the  right  to  drown  one's  self,  eh  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes  !  if  you  should  fall  into  the  water !  " 

"  True.     And  there's  a  dance-hall,  you  say  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  one  out-of-doors,  and  one  inside  for 
rainy  days." 


48  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  Good ;  I  see  that  everything  is  complete ;  and  if,  with 
all  the  rest,  the  cooking  is  good " 

"  Very  good ;  and  they  give  you  fine  matelotes,  because 
they  catch  the  fish  on  the  spot." 

"  This  rustic  restaurant  will  certainly  receive  a  call  from 
me  very  soon ;  indeed,  I  would  go  there  to-day — de- 
lighted to  take  the  trip  with  you,  mesdemoiselles — if  I 
were  not  expecting  someone — who,  I  am  beginning  to 
think,  will  not  come.  It's  an  infernal  shame  !  we  are  in- 
vited to  dine  at  the  Palais-Royal ;  it's  almost  five  o'clock 
now,  and  we  shall  break  our  engagement  and  they'll  dine 
without  us,  all  on  his  account ! " 

"You'll  dine  somewhere  else;  that's  all.  There's  no 
lack  of  restaurants  in  Paris." 

"  Vive  Dieu !  who  knows  that  better  than  I !  So  I 
have  no  difficulty  on  that  score — that  is  to  say,  I  don't 
know  which  to  select,  and  if  you  young  ladies  will  do  me 
the  honor  to  accept  a  little  dinner  in  the  suburbs " 

"  Thanks,  monsieur ;  but  we  don't  accept  dinners ;  be- 
sides, we  are  to  meet  someone  at  Pare  Saint-Fargeau." 

"That's  just  the  reason  I  venture  to  invite  them,"  said 
Cherami  to  himself. — "  Are  you  young  ladies  engaged  in 
business  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Yes,  monsieur;  we  make  feathers;  we  work  in  one 
of  the  best  shops  on  Rue  Saint-Denis ;  but  to-day  is  the 
mistress's  birthday;  that's  why  we  have  the  whole  day 
to  ourselves." 

"  Enchanted  to  have  made  your  acquaintance.  Ah ! 
so  you're  in  feathers — a  charming  trade  for  a  woman ! 
They  have  the  same  volatility :  birds  of  a  feather  flock 
together." 

"  Is  he  talking  nonsense  to  us  ?  "  whispered  Mademoi- 
selle Lucie  in  her  friend's  ear. 


ANOTHER    WEDDING  PARTY  49 

"  Why,  no,  stupid ;  not  at  all ;  that's  a  compliment" 

"  Belleville !  passengers  for  Belleville ! " 

"  Here's  the  Belleville  'bus,  Laurette,  and  they're 
making  signs  that  there  are  seats  for  us." 

"  Oh !  we  must  run,  then.     Bonjour !  monsieur." 

"  What !  you  are  going  so  soon !  I  thought — I  • 
hoped " 

The  two  girls  were  already  in  the  omnibus,  which  soon 
disappeared.  Cherami  turned  on  his  heel,  muttering : 

"  They  were  shrewd  to  refuse  my  dinner.  Peste !  how 
should  I  have  got  out  of  it  ?  I'm  not  sorry  to  have  had 
a  chat  with  the  little  dears — one's  name  is  Laurette,  and 
the  other's  Lucie,  or  Lucile ;  they  may  be  desirable  ac- 
quaintances, on  occasion ;  if  I  ever  want  to  buy  feathers, 
for  instance." 


IX 

ANOTHER  WEDDING  PARTY 

A  young  man  of  some  twenty-five  years,  fashionably 
dressed,  but  whose  costume  was  in  some  disorder,  sud- 
denly appeared  upon  the  scene.  He  was  walking  very 
fast,  and  did  not  stop  until  he  reached  the  porte  cochere 
of  the  Deffieux  restaurant.  There  he  halted,  and  gazed 
under  the  porte  cochere  with  every  indication  of  anxiety, 
not  to  say  distress ;  then  looked  all  about  him  and  along 
the  boulevard.  From  the  pallor  of  his  cheeks,  the  dis- 
tortion of  his  features,  the  expression  of  his  eyes,  it 
was  easy  to  see  that  he  was  suffering  keenly,  and  that 
his  distress  was  augmented  by  the  expectation  of  some 


5o  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

impending  event     Cherami  had  no  sooner  espied  the 

young  man,  than  the  latter  ran  to  where  he  stood  and 

said,  in  a  trembling  voice : 

"  Have  you  been  here  some  time,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  monsieur ;  quite  a  long  time." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  in  that  case  you  can  tell 

me Have  you  noticed  a  wedding  party  arrive  at 

this  restaurant?" 

"A  wedding  party?     Certainly,  I  have  seen  one;  it's 

only  a  short  time  since  the  carriages  went  away." 

"  They  have  arrived  already  ?     I  thought  I  should  be 

here  before  them." 
"  No ;  you  are  late." 
"  They  have  gone  in  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  I  had  a  very  good  view  of  the  bride." 
"  You  saw  Fanny  ?  " 
"  I  don't  know  whether  her  name's  Fanny,  I'm  sure ; 

but  what  I  do  know  is  that  she's  very  pretty." 

"  Oh !  yes,  monsieur ;  she's  charming,  isn't  she  ?  " 
"  She's  a  very  pretty  bride,  without  being  a  beauty." 
"  Oh !  monsieur,  there's  no  lovelier  woman  on  earth." 
"  That's  a  matter  of  taste.     I  don't  propose  to  con- 
tradict you." 

"  Was  she  pale,  trembling  ?  did  she  look  as  if  she  had 

been  crying  ?  " 

"  Why,  not  at  all !    She  was  fresh  and  rosy  and  affable  ; 

she  laughed  as  she  jumped  out  of  the  carriage;  then  I 

saw  her  figure,  which  isn't  so  bad,  although  she's  a  little 

stout." 

"  Stout !  why,  no !  she's  slender  and  rather  small." 
"  I  tell  you,  she's  decidedly  plump.      But  that  does 

no  harm  in  a  blonde ;  a  thin  blonde  is  too  much  like  a 

feather-duster." 


ANOTHER    WEDDING  PARTY  51 

"  Blonde  ?  Fanny  is  dark !  You  made  a  mistake, 
monsieur;  it  wasn't  the  bride  that  you  saw." 

"  It  wasn't  the  bride  that  I  saw  ?  Oh !  I  beg  your 
pardon,  monsieur ;  I  can't  be  mistaken,  for  I  talked  with 
the  groom's  uncle,  whom  I  know  very  well,  Papa  Blan- 
quette,  wholesale  linen-draper." 

"  Blanquette!  I  beg  your  pardon,  monsieur;  the  party 
you  saw  isn't  the  one  I  am  expecting." 

"  Faith  !  it's  not  my  fault.  You  ask  me  if  a  wedding 
party  has  arrived  at  this  restaurant,  and  I  tell  you  what 
I've  seen.  It  seems  that  that  isn't  the  one  you  are  looking 
for ;  pray  be  more  explicit,  then." 

"  Oh !  monsieur,  pardon  me ;  it's  no  wonder  that  I 
make  mistakes,  I  am  in  such  agony  !  " 

"  Agony  ?  The  deuce  !  In  truth,  you  are  very  pale. 
Where's  the  pain  ?  " 

"  In  my  heart !  " 

"  The  heart  ?  Why,  in  that  case,  you  must  take  some- 
thing. Come  with  me  to  a  cafe ;  I  know  what  you  need; 
I  often  have  a  pain  in  my  heart." 

"  No,  no !  I  won't  leave  this  spot  until  I  have  seen 
her — the  perfidious,  faithless  creature  !  " 

"  You  are  waiting  for  a  faithless  creature,  eh  ?  That 
ought  not  to  prevent  your  taking  something  to  set  you 
up.  You  are  horribly  pale;  you'll  be  ill  in  a  moment. 
When  one  is  waiting  for  a  perfidious  female,  one  needs 
strength,  courage,  nerve!  Come  and  take  a  plate  of 
soup ;  there's  a  soup-kitchen  close  by." 

"  Ah  !  here  they  are  !  here  they  are  !  Yes,  I  am  sure 
that  these  are  they ;  I  know  it  by  the  way  I  feel.  Look, 
monsieur;  do  you  see  those  carriages  on  the  boulevard  ?" 

"  Yes,  this  seems  to  be  another  wedding  party.  Peste ! 
this  is  evidently  a  swell  affair." 


52  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"The  carriages  are  coming  here — do  you  see,  mon- 
sieur ?  " 

"  Glass  coaches,  with  footmen  in  livery ! — this  goes 
away  ahead  of  the  Blanquette  party." 

"  They  are  stopping  here.     Come,  let  us  go  nearer." 
"  Yes,  yes.     Oh !  never  fear ;  I'll  not  leave  you.     Is 
your  unfaithful  one  there?" 

"  Fanny !     She  has  married  another — and  I  loved  her 
so  dearly!" 

"  Poor  boy !  I  understand  your  suffering,  now." 
"  Oh  !  I  would  like  to  die  before  her  eyes." 
"  No  nonsense !  As  if  any  man  ought  to  die  for  a 
woman  !  Pshaw !  there's  nothing  so  easy  to  replace  !  " 
The  first  carriage  of  this  second  wedding  party  had 
stopped  at  the  door ;  four  young  men  alighted,  fashion- 
ably dressed  all,  and  of  genteel  bearing.  One  of  the 
four  was  evidently  the  hero  of  the  ceremony;  it  was 
he  who  gave  the  orders,  sent  his  groomsmen  to  the 
other  carriages,  or  told  them  to  whom  they  were  to 
offer  their  arms.  He  was  a  little  older  than  the  others, 
apparently  about  thirty,  and  his  life  had  evidently  been 
well  occupied,  for  his  strongly  marked,  but  jaded,  fea- 
tures denoted  excess  of  toil  or  of  dissipation.  He  was 
a  good-looking  fellow,  tall  and  slender,  with  an  air  of 
distinction;  but  there  were  dark  rings  around  his  great, 
brown  eyes,  his  lips  were  thin  and  compressed,  his 
smile  was  rather  satirical  than  amiable,  his  forehead 
was  already  furrowed  by  numerous  wrinkles,  and  he 
frowned  repeatedly  when  he  spoke  with  the  slightest 
animation;  his  hair,  which  was  of  a  glossy  black  and 
trimmed  close,  was  already  decidedly  thin  in  front,  and 
scarcely  plentiful  enough  elsewhere  to  protect  the  top 
of  his  head. 


ANOTHER   WEDDING  PARTY  53 

"  That's  he !  that's  Auguste  Monleard  ! "  the  young 
man  to  whom  Cherami  had  attached  himself  murmured, 
with  a  shudder ;  and,  as  he  spoke,  he  gripped  his  com- 
panion's arm  in  a  sort  of  frenzy.  But  Cherami,  far  from 
complaining  of  that  liberty,  passed  his  arm  through  his 
new  acquaintance's,  saying : 

"  Ah !  that  young  man  is  Auguste  Monleard,  is  he  ? 
Wait !  wait !  Monleard ;  I  knew  a  Monleard,  twenty  years 
ago,  but  this  can't  be  the  same  man.  Is  he  the  groom  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  it  is  for  him  that  she  has  forgotten  me,  thrown 
me  aside." 

"She  is  wrong.  That  young  man  is  good-looking, 
but  you  are  younger;  and  then,  too,  that  fellow  looks 
to  me  as  if  he  had  had  a  devilishly  intimate  acquaint- 
ance with  the  joys  of  life ! — I  don't  impute  it  to  him  as  a 
crime — but  he'll  soon  have  to  wear  a  wig." 

"  Ah !  I  am  strongly  inclined  to  go  and  strike  him 
across  the  face ! " 

The  young  man  had  already  started  to  attack  the 
bridegroom ;  but  Cherami  detained  him,  putting  his  arm 
about  him. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  make  a  fool  of  yourself  ? 
I  won't  allow  it.  Well-bred  people  don't  fight  with  their 
fists.  If  you  want  to  fight  with  the  groom,  very  good ; 
I  consent,  I  will  even  be  your  second;  but  you  have 
plenty  of  time,  and  you  must  agree  that  this  would  be 
an  ill-chosen  moment." 

The  poor,  lovelorn  youth  was  not  listening;  another 
carriage  had  stopped  in  front  of  the  restaurant.  In  that 
one  there  were  ladies,  among  them  the  bride,  who  was 
easily  recognizable  by  her  head-dress  of  orange  blos- 
soms. She  was  a  young  woman  of  small  stature,  slender 
and  dainty.  Her  hair  was  brown  like  her  eyes,  which 


54 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


were  large,  fringed  by  long  lashes,  and  surmounted  by 
slight  but  perfectly  arched  eyebrows.  Her  mouth  was 
small  and  intelligent ;  she  rarely  showed  her  teeth,  be- 
cause they  were  uneven.  She  was  an  attractive  woman, 
nothing  more;  a  man  must  have  been  deeply  in  love 
with  her  to  declare  that  there  was  no  lovelier  creature 
on  earth.  But  for  a  man  who  is  deeply  enamored,  there 
is  but  the  one  woman  on  earth ;  consequently,  she  must 
be  the  fairest.  The  bride's  most  remarkable  points  were 
her  hands  and  feet,  which  were  extraordinarily  small, 
and  worthy  to  be  a  sculptor's  model. 

The  groom  stepped  forward  to  offer  his  arm  to  his 
wife,  to  assist  her  to  alight.  She  barely  rested  her  hand 
upon  it,  and,  light  as  a  feather,  she  was  already  on  the 
ground,  where  she  seemed  busily  occupied  in  looking  to 
see  if  her  dress  had  been  rumpled  in  the  carriage. 

"  There  she  is !  it  is  she !  it  is  Fanny !  "  murmured  the 
young  man,  leaning  heavily  on  Cherami. 

"  She  doesn't  look  to  me  at  all  as  if  she'd  been  crying," 
was  the  reply. 

"  Mon  Dieu !  can  it  be  that  she  will  not  look  in  this 
direction  ?  " 

"  What's  the  use  ?  She  would  see  that  you  are  pale 
and  distressed,  with  the  look  of  a  disinterred  corpse ; 
that's  no  way  to  appear  before  a  woman,  to  make  her 
regret  you." 

"She  would  see  how  I  suffer;  she  would  realize  that 
I  shall  die  of  grief! " 

"  I  promise  you  that  that  wouldn't  prevent  her  dan- 
cing this  evening.  I  am  a  good  judge  of  faces,  and  I 
divine  that  that  woman  has  a  cold  disposition,  heart 
ditto ;  there's  very  little  feeling  under  that  cover,  or  I  am 
immeasurably  mistaken." 


ANOTHER   WEDDING  PARTY  55 

Meanwhile,  other  ladies  had  left  their  carriages,  and 
numerous  young  women,  who  flocked  about  the  bride ; 
one  fastened  a  pin;  another  adjusted  the  folds  of  her 
veil;  another  remade  her  bouquet;  and  while  they  at- 
tended to  these  trivial  details  of  the  toilet,  which  are  so 
momentous  in  a  woman's  eyes,  especially  a  bride's,  she 
glanced  here  and  there,  and  soon  her  eyes  fell  upon  the 
pale,  dishevelled,  heart-broken  young  man;  for  he  had 
thrust  aside  all  those  who  stood  in  front  of  him  and  who 
prevented  him  from  gazing  at  his  ease  upon  her  for 
whom  he  had  come  here. 

A  faint  tremor  of  emotion  passed  over  the  bride's 
features  ;  there  was  in  her  eyes  a  momentary  expression 
of  pity,  of  sympathy;  but  it  did  not  indicate  suffering 
on  her  own  part ;  and  as  her  husband,  who  had  noticed 
her  preoccupation,  hurried  toward  her  at  that  moment, 
she  speedily  changed  her  expression,  assumed  an  amia- 
ble, joyous  manner,  and  accepted  his  arm  with  pretty, 
caressing  little  gestures. 

Thereupon  the  young  man,  whom  Cherami  held  by 
the  arm,  could  not  restrain  a  paroxysm  of  rage,  crying : 

"  Oh  !  this  is  frightful !  not  a  glance  of  regret,  of  fare- 
well, for  me !  She  sees  my  suffering,  my  despair,  and  she 
smiles  at  that  man !  and  she  walks  off  on  his  arm,  with 
joy  and  happiness  in  her  eyes ! " 


56  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


THE  YOUNGER  SISTER 

At  that  moment,  one  of  the  young  women  who  had 
arrived  in  the  bride's  carriage  ran  hastily  to  him  whom 
the  wedding  party  made  so  miserable,  and  said  to  him  in 
an  undertone,  but  in  a  voice  overflowing  with  kindness 
and  sympathy : 

"  Why  are  you  here,  Gustave  ?  Why  did  you  come  ? 
You  promised  me  to  be  brave." 

"  I  am,  mademoiselle ;  you  see  that  I  am — for  I  did  not 
overwhelm  the  false  creature  with  reproaches,  here,  before 
her  husband's  face,  before  her  new  relations  ! " 

"  Ah !  that  would  have  been  very  ill  done  of  you ;  and 
how  would  it  have  helped  you  ?  I  implore  you,  Gustave, 
be  reasonable. — Do  not  leave  him,  monsieur,  will  you  ?  " 

The  last  question  was  addressed  to  Cherami,  who 
hastened  to  reply : 

"  I !  leave  my  dear  Gustave  in  the  state  he's  in  now  ! 
I  should  think  not !  What  do  you  take  me  for,  made- 
moiselle? I  will  cling  to  him  as  the  ivy  to  the  elm.  If 
he  should  throw  himself  into  the  water,  I  would  follow 
him  !  But,  never  fear ;  he  won't  do  it.  Oh  !  I  am  here 
to  look  out  for  him ;  he  has  no  more  devoted  friend 
than  me." 

At  that  moment,  several  voices  called : 

"  Adolphine !  Adolphine !  do  come !  " 

"  They  are  looking  for  me  and  calling  me,"  murmured 
the  young  woman.  "  Adieu !  Gustave ;  but  if  you  have  the 


THE    YOUNGER  SISTER  57 

slightest  regard  for  me,  you  will  not  abandon  yourself  to 
your  grief.  You  won't,  will  you  ?  I  implore  you  !  " 

And  the  amiable  young  woman,  as  light  of  foot  as  a 
gazelle,  disappeared  under  the  porte  cochere,  as  did  all 
the  other  persons  whom  the  carriages  had  brought. 

"  There's  a  little  woman  who  pleases  me  exceedingly!" 
cried  Cherami ;  "  she  must  be  the  bride's  sister  or  cousin, 
at  least.  For  my  part,  I  think  that  she's  prettier  than 
the  bride.  Perhaps  her  eyes  aren't  as  big ;  but  they  are 
sweet  and  tender  and  kind ;  and  then,  they  are  blue, 
which  always  denotes  true  feeling :  I  have  studied  the 
subject.  Her  hair's  not  as  dark  as  the  other's,  but 
it's  of  a  light  shade  of  chestnut  which  does  not  lack 
merit.  Her  mouth  isn't  so  small,  but  neither  are  her 
lips  so  thin  and  tightly  shut  as  the  bride's.  Distrust 
thin  lips ;  they're  a  sure  sign  of  malignity  and  hypocrisy. 
Lastly,  she  is  less  dainty  than  your  faithless  Fanny, 
but  she  is  taller;  her  figure  has  more  distinction  and 
elegance.  All  in  all,  she  is  an  exceedingly  attractive 
person,  this  Mademoiselle  Adolphine ;  I  say  mademoi- 
selle, for  I  suppose  that  she  still  is  one.  Have  I  guessed 
right  ?  " 

But  Gustave  was  not  listening  to  his  new  friend.  He 
stood  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  door  through  which  the 
wedding  party  had  passed,  apparently  under  the  spell  of 
a  vague  hallucination. 

Cherami  shook  his  arm,  saying : 

"  Well,  my  dear  Monsieur  Gustave — I  know  your  name 
now,  and  I  shall  never  forget  it ;  you  probably  have  an- 
other, which  you  will  tell  me  later.  Come,  what  do  you 
propose  to  do?  Everybody  has  gone  inside;  we  two 
alone  are  left  at  the  door ;  the  carriages  have  gone  away, 
or  are  waiting  on  Rue  de  Bondy,  and  you  have  seen 


58  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

what  you  wanted  to  see.  I  presume  that  you  do  not 
intend  to  stay  here  until  the  wedding  guests  go  home  to 
bed ;  that  might  carry  you  too  far.  Come,  saprebleu ! 
my  dear  friend — allow  me  to  call  you  by  that  name ;  I 
merit  the  privilege  by  the  interest  I  take  in  you — you 
heard  what  that  fascinating  young  woman  said,  who  came 
and  spoke  to  you  with  tears  in  her  voice  and  her  eyes — 
yes,  may  I  be  damned  if  she  hadn't  tears  in  her  eyes, 
too!  She  begged  you,  implored  you,  to  be  brave,  did 
the  charming  Adolphine — I  remember  her  name,  too. 
Well !  won't  you  do  what  she  asked  ?  What  the  devil 
are  you  waiting  for  in  front  of  this  door?  those  people 
have  all  gone  to  dinner,  and  we  must  follow  their  ex- 
ample and  ourselves  go  and  dine.  I  say  we  must  go, 
because  I  promised  the  excellent  Adolphine  not  to  leave 
you,  and,  vive  Dieu !  I  will  keep  my  promise  !  I  am 
expected  at  a  certain  place,  to  eat  a  truffled  turkey;  but 
there  are  truffled  turkeys  elsewhere,  so  that  doesn't 
trouble  me.  Well !  what  do  you  mean  to  do  ?  You 
can't  seduce  a  woman  by  starving  yourself  to  death." 

"  I  want  to  speak  to  Fanny's  sister." 

"  The  bride's  sister  ?  Oh !  I  see,  that's  Mademoiselle 
Adolphine." 

"Yes,  she's  the  one  I  mean.  I  had  many  things  to 
say  to  her,  to  ask  her,  just  now.  I  was  so  confused,  I 
couldn't  think,  I  had  no  time." 

"  You  want  to  speak  to  that  young  lady  again ;  that 
seems  to  me  rather  difficult,  for  the  whole  party  has 
gone  in — unless — after  all,  why  not  ?  This  is  a  restau- 
rant, and  although  there  are  several  wedding  parties 
here,  that  doesn't  prevent  the  restaurateur  from  enter- 
taining all  the  other  people  who  come  here  to  dinner. 
Come,  let's  dine  here ;  what  do  you  think  ?  " 


THE    YOUNGER  SISTER  59 

"  Oh !  yes,  yes !  let  us  go  in  here  and  dine.  We  will 
ask  for  a  private  room  near  the  wedding  party,  and 
during  the  ball — or  before — I  can  see  her  again.  I  can 
speak  to  Adolphine." 

"  Pardieu  !  once  there,  we  are  in  our  castle ;  we  will 
set  up  our  batteries,  and  no  one  has  the  right  to  send  us 
away ;  we  can  sup  there,  and  breakfast  to-morrow  morn- 
ing ;  so  long  as  we  eat,  they  will  be  delighted  to  have 
us  stay." 

"Ah!  monsieur,  how  kind  you  are  to  take  an  interest 
in  my  troubles,  to  lend  me  your  support,  although  you 
do  not  know  me,  do  not  know  even  who  I  am ! " 

"  Oh !  I  am  a  physiognomist,  my  dear  friend.  At  the 
very  outset,  you  aroused  my  interest ;  besides,  I  love  to 
oblige ;  I  do  nothing  else  !  Let's  go  and  dine." 

"  We  will  ask  where  the  Monleard  party  is,  monsieur ; 
we  will  take  a  room  on  the  same  floor." 

"  Agreed !     Let's  go  and  dine." 

"Without  any  apparent  motive,  I  will  question  the 
waiter.  Indeed,  I  can  speedily  enlist  him  in  my  interest 
with  a  five-franc  piece." 

"  He  will  be  entirely  devoted  to  you.  Let's  go  and 
dine." 

"  I  will  tell  him  to  place  us  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
room  where  the  ladies  are  talking." 

"  But,  sacrebleu  !  if  we  delay  much  longer,  there'll  be 
no  vacant  room  near  your  wedding  party." 

"  You  are  right !     Come,  come  !  " 

"At  last!  "said  Cherami  to  himself,  striding  behind 
young  Gustave ;  "  this  time,  I  have  my  cue ! " 


60  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


XI 

A  CALCULATING  YOUNG  WOMAN 

The  five  francs  given  by  young  Gustave  to  a  waiter  in- 
stantly produced  a  most  satisfactory  result.  He  placed 
the  new-comers  in  a  private  room  on  the  first  floor, 
at  the  end  of  a  corridor ;  and  the  large  hall  in  which 
Monsieur  Monleard's  wedding  feast  was  to  be  given  was 
at  the  other  end  of  the  same  corridor.  Gustave  would 
have  preferred  to  be  nearer  the  scene  of  festivity,  but 
that  was  impossible ;  and  his  companion  persuaded  him 
that  they  were  much  better  off  at  the  end  of  the  corridor, 
where  Mademoiselle  Adolphine  could,  if  she  chose,  come 
to  exchange  a  few  words  with  him,  unobserved  by  the 
wedding  guests. 

"And  now,  let  us  dine!"  cried  Cherami,  hanging  his 
hat  on  a  hook ;  "  I  will  admit  that  I  am  hungry.  All 
these  events — your  distress — your  despair — have  moved 
me  deeply,  and  emotion  makes  one  hollow.  You  also 
must  feel  the  need  of  refreshment,  for  you  are  very  pale." 

"  I  am  not  at  all  hungry,  monsieur." 

"One  isn't  hungry  at  first;  but  afterward  one  eats 
very  well.  Besides,  we  came  here  to  dine,  if  I'm  not 
mistaken." 

"  Look  you,  monsieur ;  have  the  kindness  to  order — 
ask  for  whatever  you  choose — whatever  you  would  like ; 
but  don't  compel  me  to  think  about  it." 

"  Very  good ;  I  agree.  In  truth,  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that's  the  better  way!  With  your  abstraction,  your  sighs, 


A   CALCULATING   YOUNG   WOMAN  61 

you  would  never  be  able  to  order  a  dinner ;  you  would 
order  veal  for  fish,  and  radishes  for  prawns,  while  I  excel 
in  that  part  of  the  game.  You  see,  I  have  lived,  and  lived 
well,  I  flatter  myself!  Some  madeira  first  of  all,  waiter — 
and  put  some  Moet  in  the  ice;  meanwhile,  I  will  make 
out  our  menu ! " 

The  madeira  having  been  brought,  Cherami  imme- 
diately drank  two  glasses  to  restore  the  tone  of  his 
stomach ;  then  he  took  the  bill  of  fare,  and  took  pains 
to  order  the  best  of  everything.  The  waiter,  who  scru- 
tinized our  friend's  costume  while  he  was  writing,  would 
probably  have  displayed  less  zeal  in  serving  him,  had 
not  his  companion  begun  by  slipping  five  francs  into 
his  hand.  But  that  spontaneous  generosity  had  given 
another  direction  to  the  waiter's  ideas,  and  he  concluded 
that  the  gentleman  with  the  check  trousers  was  a  Scotch- 
man who  had  not  changed  his  travelling  costume. 

While  Cherami  wrote  his  order,  young  Gustave  was 
unable  to  sit  still  for  a  moment ;  he  went  constantly  to 
the  door  and  took  a  few  steps  in  the  corridor,  then  re- 
turned to  question  the  waiter,  to  whose  particular  atten- 
tion Cherami  commended  his  menu. 

"  Waiter,  is  the  wedding  party  at  table  yet  ?  " 

"  They  sat  down  just  a  moment  ago,  monsieur." 

"  Above  all  things,  don't  have  the  fillet  cooked  too 
much." 

"  Never  fear,  monsieur." 

"  Where  is  the  bride  sitting  ?  " 

"  At  the  middle  of  the  table,  monsieur." 

"  And  well  supplied  with  truffles." 

"  By  whose  side  ?  " 

"  I  think  her  father's  on  one  side,  monsieur." 

"  And  on  the  other  ?  " 


62  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

"  A  salmon-trout." 

"  A  lady,  monsieur." 

"  If  it  isn't  fresh,  we  won't  take  it." 

"  How  is  the  lady's  hair  dressed  ?  " 

"  She  has  lilies  of  the  valley  on  her  head." 

"  What's  that !  lilies  of  the  valley  on  a  salmon-trout ! 
I  never  saw  it  served  so." 

"  Not  the  trout,  monsieur;  I  was  speaking  of  a  lady — 
one  of  the  wedding  party." 

"  And  the  groom,  where  is  he  sitting  ?  " 

"  Opposite  his  wife,  monsieur." 

"  Next,  a  capon  au  gros  sel. " 

"  Does  he  look  at  her  often  ?  " 

"  Done  to  a  turn." 

"  Faith !  monsieur,  I  didn't  have  time  to  notice  as  to 
that." 

"  What's  that !  Sapristi !  you  haven't  time  to  tell  the 
chef  to  cook  it  to  a  turn  ?  " 

"  Pardon,  monsieur ;  monsieur  was  asking  me  about 
the  bridegroom. — Now  I  am  at  your  service." 

And  the  waiter,  to  escape  these  questions,  which  con- 
fused him,  took  the  menu  and  disappeared.  Cherami 
poured  out  another  glass  of  madeira,  saying  to  his  new 
friend : 

"  Come,  come,  my  dear  Gustave ;  if  you  persist  in 
imitating  the  bear  of  Berne,  by  going  from  this  room 
into  the  corridor,  and  returning  from  the  corridor  to  this 
room,  you  won't  do  yourself  any  good.  You  know  that 
the  wedding  party  is  at  the  table.  Naturally,  they  will 
be  there  some  time.  So  follow  their  example.  Take 
a  seat  opposite  me,  recover  your  tranquillity,  and  let 
us  dine.  See,  here's  our  soup,  just  in  time,  exhaling  a 
delicious  odor.  Allow  me  to  help  you." 


A    CALCULATING   YOUNG  WOMAN  63 

The  young  man  took  his  seat,  and  swallowed  a  few 
spoonfuls  of  soup ;  then  pushed  his  plate  away,  crying : 

"  No ;  it's  impossible  for  me  to  eat  anything." 

"  Very  well !  then  talk  to  me.  Look  you,  while  I  am 
eating,  as  you  don't  choose  to  do  the  same,  you  have  an 
excellent  opportunity  to  tell  me  the  story  of  your  loves 
— with  the  ungrateful  Fanny." 

"Oh!  yes,  monsieur,  gladly.  I  will  tell  you  all,  and  you 
will  see  if  I  am  wrong  to  complain  of  her  inconstancy." 

"  Men  are  hardly  ever  wrong.  Go  on,  my  dear  friend ; 
tell  me  the  whole  story;  I  shall  not  lose  a  word  of  your 
narrative,  because  one  can  listen  splendidly  while  eating." 

"  My  name  is  Gustave  Darlemont,  and  I  am  twenty- 
five  years  old.  My  parents  lived  on  their  income ;  but 
in  order  to  obtain  the  means  to  live  more  expensively, 
they  invested  all  their  capital  in  an  annuity." 

"  The  devil !  rather  selfish  parents,  I  should  say.  If 
everyone  did  the  same,  the  word  inheritance  would  be 
superfluous.  Here's  a  fillet  that  is  worth  its  weight  in 
gold.  Just  taste  it." 

"  No,  thanks,  monsieur. — For  my  part,  I  find  no  fault 
with  my  parents  for  doing  as  they  did  ;  they  had  earned 
their  fortune  by  their  own  labor,  they  had  given  me  a 
good  education  :  what  more  could  I  ask  ?  " 

"  You  are  delightful !  Pardieu !  you  could  ask  for 
money.  Let  me  give  you  some  of  this  Chateau-Leoville. 
— It's  cool  and  sweet — it  will  refresh  your  ideas.  Go  on, 
I  beg." 

"  My  parents  died,  and  from  what  they  left  me  in  fur- 
niture, jewels,  and  plate,  I  had  an  income  of  twelve 
hundred  francs." 

"A  mere  trifle !  that's  not  enough  to  pay  one's  tailor.  To 
be  sure,  there's  the  alternative  of  not  paying  him  at  all." 


64  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"I  was  then  seventeen;  I  didn't  know  just  what  busi- 
ness to  embrace." 

"  And,  pending  your  decision,  you  embraced  all  the 
pretty  girls  who  came  to  hand.  I  know  all  about  that." 

"  Oh !  no,  monsieur;  I  was  very  virtuous ;  I  have  never 
been  what  is  called  a  lady's  man." 

"  So  much  the  worse,  young  man ;  so  much  the  worse ! 
There's  nothing  like  women  for  training  the  young.  You 
may  say  that  they  overtrain  them  sometimes.  But  think 
of  the  experience  they  acquire !  I  might  cite  myself  as 
an  example ;  but  we  haven't  come  to  me  yet.  Go  on, 
my  young  friend — for  I  am  your  friend.  Although  Aris- 
totle said:  '  O  my  friends,  there  are  no  friends!'  I  main- 
tain that  there  are.  And  that's  simply  a  play  upon 
words  by  the  Greek  philosopher,  to  whom,  had  I  been 
Philip,  I  would  not  have  intrusted  the  education  of  my 
son  Alexander,  because  of  that  one  assertion. — But  I 
beg  your  pardon ;  I  am  listening." 

"  Luckily,  I  had  an  uncle,  Monsieur  Grandcourt,  my 
mother's  brother.  He  took  me  into  his  family.  He  is 
rather  an  original,  but  kind  and  obliging.  He  is  not  an 
old  man :  only  about  forty-eight  now." 

"  So  much  the  worse,  so  much  the  worse  !  You  cer- 
tainly have  hard  luck  in  the  matter  of  inheritances.  Is 
this  uncle  of  yours  rich  ?  " 

"  Not  rich  perhaps,  but  very  comfortably  fixed,  I  fancy." 

"  What  does  he  do  ?  " 

"  He's  a  banker." 

"  Everybody  is,  more  or  less." 

"  Oh !  my  uncle  is  a  prudent  man,  who  never  risks 
his  money  in  doubtful  speculations ;  he  is  noted  for  the 
exactitude  with  which  he  fulfils  his  engagements,  and  for 
his  absolute  probity." 


A    CALCULATING   YOUNG   WOMAN  65 

"  Good !  there's  a  man  to  whom  I  will  intrust  my  funds, 
when  I  have  more  than  I  can  handle." 

"  So  I  entered  my  uncle's  employ  as  a  clerk.  I  was  very 
happy  there.  We  often  went  to  the  theatre,  to  concerts, 
and  to  the  best  restaurants ;  and  my  uncle  always  paid." 

"  Pardieu !  it  would  have  been  a  fine  thing  if  the 
nephew  had  had  to  stand  treat !  However,  I  see  that 
your  uncle's  not  a  miser;  he  likes  to  enjoy  himself. 
That's  the  kind  of  an  uncle  I  like.  I  shall  be  glad  to 
make  his  acquaintance." 

"  I  have  now  arrived,  monsieur,  at  the  moment  which 
changed  the  whole  course  of  my  life,  which  made  me 
acquainted  with  a  sentiment  of  whose  power  I  had  thus 
far  been  entirely  ignorant.  For,  while  I  had  had  a  few 
amourettes,  I  had  never  known  a  genuine  passion.  Ah  ! 
monsieur !  the  instant  that  I  saw  Fanny,  I  felt  as  if  my 
heart  were  born  to  a  new  life ;  I  was  no  longer  the  same. 
No,  until  then  I  had  not  lived  ! " 

"That's  a  common  sort  of  talk  with  lovers.  They 
never  have  lived  before  their  frantic  passion, — the  in- 
grates ! — and  they  often  forget  the  happiest  days  of  their 
youth. — Ah  !  here's  our  salmon-trout — a  delicious  fish  ! 
You  will  surely  taste  a  mouthful  ?  " 

"  My  uncle  had  bought  some  shares  in  the  Orleans 
railway  for  Monsieur  Gerbault,  Fanny's  father.  He  gave 
them  to  me  to  deliver  to  him.  Monsieur  Gerbault  was 
not  at  home.  Fanny  received  me,  and  invited  me  to 
wait  till  her  father  returned.  We  talked ;  I  was  amazed 
to  hear  that  young  girl  discuss  affairs  at  the  Bourse  quite 
as  intelligently  as  a  broker  could  do." 

"  And  that  was  what  fascinated  you  ?  " 

"  Oh !  no,  monsieur.  But  while  Fanny  was  talking  to 
me,  I  examined  her.  Her  eyes  were  bright  and  intelligent ; 


66  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

her  smile  was  charming.  Her  whole  person  was  instinct 
with  a  childish  grace  which  fascinated  me,  and  a  perfect 
naturalness  which  put  me  at  my  ease  at  once.  Before  I 
had  been  with  her  half  an  hour,  you  would  have  thought 
that  we  were  old  friends.  I  took  the  greatest  pleasure 
in  listening  to  her,  and  I  think  that  she  perceived  it,  for 
she  was  never  at  a  loss  for  something  to  say.  Her  father 
returned,  and  I  was  terribly  sorry.  Monsieur  Gerbault 
is  a  very  courteous  old  man.  He  smiled  at  me  when  he 
heard  his  daughter  ask  me  the  prices  of  all  the  different 
securities,  and  said : 

" '  It's  very  unfortunate  for  Fanny  that  women  are 
not  allowed  on  the  Bourse,  for  I  believe  she  would 
go  there  every  day;  she  has  a  very  pronounced  taste 
for  speculation ;  I  dare  not  say  for  gambling,  for  I 
hope  that  it  won't  go  so  far  as  that.  However,  mon- 
sieur, she  has  five  or  six  thousand  francs,  and  so  has 
her  sister;  it  comes  from  their  mother.  Adolphine 
has  very  wisely  invested  her  funds  in  government  securi- 
ties ;  but  Fanny — oh !  she's  a  different  sort !  she  wants 
to  speculate,  to  buy  stocks,  and  she  will  probably  lose 
her  money.' 

"  'Why  so,  father,  I  should  like  to  know?'  said  Fanny; 
'  why  shouldn't  luck  be  favorable  to  me  ?  Besides,  I  don't 
mean  to  buy  anything  on  margin,  but  only  for  cash ;  I 
shall  keep  what  I  buy,  and  not  sell  until  I  can  sell  at  a 
profit.  It  seems  to  me  that  that  is  easy  enough,  and  that 
there's  no  need  of  being  a  clerk  in  a  broker's  office  to 
understand  the  operation.  With  my  six  thousand  francs  I 
could  only  get  a  miserable  little  income ;  why  shouldn't 
I  try  to  increase  my  principal  ?  ' 

" '  As  you  please,'  said  Monsieur  Gerbault ;  '  you  are 
perfectly  at  liberty  to  dispose  of  what  belongs  to  you.' 


A    CALCULATING    YOUNG   WOMAN  67 

"You  can  understand  that  I  flattered  the  young 
woman's  hopes,  feeling  as  I  did  that  I  was  already  in 
love  with  her.  I  offered  to  keep  her  posted  as  to  the 
general  tendency  of  values  on  the  Bourse  and  the  finan- 
cial situation.  She  accepted  my  offer;  and  Monsieur 
Gerbault,  knowing  that  I  was  Monsieur  Grandcourt's 
nephew,  gave  me  free  access  to  his  house.  In  short, 
my  dear — my  dear — monsieur — I  beg  your  pardon,  but  I 
don't  as  yet  know  your  name." 

"  Pardieu !  that's  true ;  I  had  not  thought  to  tell 
you.  My  name  is  Arthur  Cherami,  former  land-holder, 
ci-devant  premier  high-liver  of  the  capital.  I  set  the 
fashion,  I  was  the  arbiter  of  style,  and  all  the  women 
doted  on  me.  Oh !  my  story  is  very  short :  at  twenty- 
two,  I  had  thirty-five  thousand  francs  a  year;  at  thirty, 
I  had  nothing"  left.  When  I  say  nothing,  I  mean  prac- 
tically nothing ;  I  still  have  a  small  remnant  of  income, 
a  bagatelle,  but  my  fortune  is  all  eaten  up.  Well !  young 
man,  I  give  you  my  word  of  honor,  that,  if  I  could  start 
afresh,  I  believe  I  would  do  the  same  again.  I  employed 
my  youth  to  good  purpose,  and  everybody  can't  say  as 
much.  For  God's  sake,  must  a  man  be  old,  infirm,  and 
gouty,  to  enjoy  life?  You  can't  crack  nuts  when  your 
teeth  are  all  gone ;  therefore,  you  shouldn't  wait  till 
you're  old  to  play  the  young  man.  Now,  if  I  add  that 
I  am  still  a  lusty  fellow,  as  brave  as  Caesar,  as  gallant  as 
Francois  I,  and  as  philosophical  as  Socrates,  you  will 
know  me  as  well  as  if  you  had  been  my  groom. — I  have 
said." 

"  Very  good  !  Your  name,  you  say,  is ?  I  beg 

your  pardon,  but  I  have  forgotten  it  already." 

"  You  are  absent-minded ;  I  can  understand  that.  My 
name  is  Cherami,  and  I  am  yours,  which  constitutes  a 


68  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

pun ;  *  but,  to  avoid  mistakes,  call  me  Arthur ;  that  is  my 
Christian  name,  and  all  the  ladies  call  me  that.  Sapristi ! 
this  is  an  excellent  fish ;  do  eat  a  bit  of  it." 

"  I  prefer  to  talk  to  you  of  my  love." 

"  So  be  it ! — That  won't  give  you  indigestion.  Mean- 
while, I'll  eat  for  two — and  listen  to  you.  Fire  away!" 


XII 

GUSTAVE'S  LOVE  AFFAIR 

"  I  was  saying,  Monsieur  Arthur,  that,  as  I  had  re- 
ceived permission  to  go  to  Monsieur  Gerbault's  house, 
you  will  divine  that  I  took  advantage  of  it." 

"  Yes,  indeed. — This  fish  is  perfect ;  you  make  a  great 
mistake  not  to  eat  it." 

"  Monsieur  Gerbault,  formerly  a  clerk  in  one  of  the 
government  offices,  has  only  a  modest  fortune;  he  is  a 
widower  with  two  daughters,  to  both  of  whom  he  has 
given  an  excellent  education.  Fanny  is  talented ;  she  is 
a  good  musician,  and  knows  English  and  Italian." 

"  And  her  sister  ?  " 

"  Adolphine  plays  the  piano,  too,  and  sings  quite  well. 
She  is  very  sweet  and  of  a  very  amiable  disposition ; 
but,  you  see,  I  didn't  pay  any  attention  to  the  sister ;  I 
had  eyes  for  Fanny  alone.  Her  grace,  her  wit,  her  lovely 
eyes,  all  combined  to  turn  my  head.  She  saw  it  plainly 
enough,  and,  far  from  repelling  me,  she  seemed  to  try  to 
redouble  her  charms,  in  order  to  make  me  more  in  love 
with  her  than  ever." 

*  Cher  ami  means  ' '  dear  friend.' ' 


GUSTAVE'S  LOVE  AFFAIR  69 

"  The  devil !  she's  a  shrewd  coquette !  " 

"  Oh !  no,  monsieur !  but  it's  her  nature  always  to  make 
herself  attractive ;  she  can't  help  it." 

"  Here's  the  capon  au  gros  seL — Now's  the  time  for  the 
champagne  frappe.  Corbleu !  you'll  drink  some  of  this." 

"  But,  monsieur " 

"  It  will  give  you  strength,  nerve.  Nobody  knows 
what  may  happen  to-night;  a  man  should  always  be 
ready  for  action." 

"A  year  passed ;  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  make  some 
lucky  turns  for  Fanny;  she  had  made  nearly  three  thou- 
sand francs  in  railroad  shares;  she  was  overjoyed,  and 
was  already  dreaming  of  an  immense  fortune.  I  had 
told  her  that  I  loved  her,  and  she  had  replied,  with  a 
smile,  that  she  suspected  as  much.  Thereupon,  I  asked 
her  if  she  would  marry  me,  and  she  replied :  '  My  father 
can  give  only  twenty  thousand  francs  to  each  of  his 
daughters,  and  you  know  what  I  have  besides.  That 
doesn't  make  much  of  an  income.' 

" '  What  does  it  matter  ? '  said  I ;  '  I  love  you  with  all 
my  heart ;  if  you  had  no  marriage  portion  at  all,  I  should 
none  the  less  consider  myself  the  happiest  of  men  if  I 
could  obtain  your  hand. — I  have  twelve  hundred  francs  a 
year,'  I  added, '  and  my  uncle  pays  me  eighteen  hundred ; 
you  see  that  we  shall  have  enough  to  live  comfortably.' 

"  Fanny  listened  to  me,  and  seemed  to  reflect ;  but  I 
had  taken  her  hand  and  squeezed  it,  and  she  did  not  take 
it  away. 

"  'Are  you  willing,'  I  said,  'that  I  should  prefer  my  suit 
to  your  father  to-morrow  ? ' 

" '  That's  not  necessary,'  she  replied ;  '  we  have  time 
enough ;  and  then,  you  need  have  no  fear  in  that  re- 
spect ;  father  has  told  me  a  hundred  times  that  he  would 


70  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

not  interfere  with  my  choice;  that  he  was  sure  that  I 
would  not  marry  anyone  who  would  not  make  me  happy.' 

"  For  my  part,  I  wanted  to  be  married  at  once,  but 
Fanny  desired  to  add  a  little  more  to  her  capital  before 
marrying,  so  that  she  might  have  a  more  substantial 
dowry  to  offer  me.  It  was  of  no  use  for  me  to  say  that 
I  cared  nothing  about  that ;  I  could  not  make  her  listen 
to  reason." 

"  If  you  took  that  for  love,  my  dear  Gustave,  you  can 
hardly  claim  to  be  a  connoisseur. — Here's  your  very 
good  health!" 

"  Ah !  monsieur ;  Fanny  was  always  so  amiable !  her 
eyes  always  had  such  a  sweet  look  in  them  when  they 
met  mine!  she  had  such  pretty,  caressing  little  ways 
with  me ! " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know.  The  whole  battery  of  the  petti- 
coat file ! " 

"  Six  months  more  passed,  and  I  implored  Fanny  to 
fix  a  date  for  our  wedding.  Unluckily,  her  operations 
in  railroads  no  longer  showed  a  profit;  the  shares  she 
had  bought  had  gone  down;  it  was  necessary  to  wait; 
and  Fanny  was  angry  at  the  way  things  were  going  on 

the  Bourse. — It  was  about  that  time Ah !  it  was 

then  that  my  misfortunes  began." 

"  Courage,  dear  Gustave ! — and  another  glass  of  Moet ! 
Do  take  a  wing  of  this  capon — just  a  bit  of  white  meat. 
What !  nothing  ?  Well,  then,  sapristi !  I  will  sacrifice 
myself  and  eat  the  whole  bird.  Never  mind  what  the 
result  may  be ;  but  I  will  drink,  too,  for  I  must  wash  it 
down. — Your  health  !  " 

"As  I  was  saying,  it  was  about  this  time  that  Monsieur 
Auguste  Monleard  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Gerbault 
family — at  a  ball,  I  believe ;  he  asked  and  obtained  from 


GUSTAVE'S  LOVE  AFFAIR  71 

the  father  permission  to  come  occasionally  and  play 
and  sing  with  the  young  ladies.  I  did  not  know  that 
until  later,  for  I  did  not  happen  to  meet  him  for  some 
time.  The  very  first  time  that  I  saw  him,  I  had  a  pre- 
sentiment that  his  presence  in  Monsieur  Gerbault's  house 
would  be  fatal  to  my  love.  This  Monleard  made  a  great 
parade ;  he  had  a  cabriolet  and  a  negro  footman ;  indeed, 
he  had,  so  it  was  said,  forty  thousand  francs  a  year.  All 
that  would  have  been  a  matter  of  indifference  to  me,  if  I 
had  not  noticed  that  he  was  very  attentive,  very  gallant, 
to  Fanny.  However,  she  continued  to  smile  on  me  in 
the  most  charming  way ;  but  when  I  said  to  her :  '  Fix  a 
day  for  our  wedding,  I  beg  you,  and  let  me  speak  to  your 
father,'  she  replied :  '  Oh  !  not  yet ;  we  have  plenty  of 
time ;  I  must  increase  my  capital  first.' 

"  One  morning,  I  had  escaped  from  my  duties  at  my 
uncle's,  who  scolded  me  sometimes  because  love  led  me 
to  neglect  business." 

"  Did  your  uncle  approve  your  matrimonial  plans  ?  " 

"  Not  very  warmly ;  he  had  said  to  me  several  times  : 
'  You're  too  young  to  marry;  wait  awhile.' 

"  But  when  he  saw  how  dearly  I  loved  Fanny,  he 
finally  said :  '  Do  as  you  please ;  but  if  I  were  in  your 
place,  I'd  have  nothing  to  do  with  a  young  woman  who 
speculates  in  railroad  stocks.'  " 

"  I  am  much  of  your  uncle's  opinion." 

"And  he  added  :  '  You  know  that  I  will  not  give  you 
a  sou  to  be  married  on,  don't  you  ?  ' 

"  I  replied:  'And  you  know  that  I  ask  you  for  nothing 
but  your  affection.' " 

"  A  noble  reply !  and  one  that  binds  you  to  nothing. — 
Have  a  glass  of  champagne." 

"  I  have  already  had  one." 


72  MONSIEUR   CHER  AM  I 

"  So  much  the  more  reason  for  taking  another.  I  say, 
my  boy,  order  us  a  Perigord  macaroni,  and  a  parfait  a 
la  vanille." 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

"  Waiter,  how  is  the  wedding  party  getting  along  ?  " 

"  They're  at  the  second  course,  monsieur." 

"  They  have  not  got  beyond  that !  " 

"What  a  delightful  fellow  this  dear  Gustave  is!  be- 
cause he  doesn't  eat,  he  fancies  that  nobody  else  has  any 
appetite." 

"  Is  the  bride  eating,  waiter  ?  " 

"Yes,  monsieur;  she's  eating  everything,  I  may  say." 

"  Everything !  " 

Gustave  angrily  resumed  his  seat  at  the  table,  and  held 
out  his  plate,  saying  to  his  companion : 

"  Very  good !  then  I  will  eat,  too !  Give  me  some 
capon,  Arthur ;  give  me  a  lot  of  it !  " 

"Ah!  good,  good!  spoken  like  a  man!  Now  you're 
a  man  again !  There's  nothing  left  of  the  capon  but  one 
drumstick  and  the  carcass,  but  they're  the  most  delicate 
parts." 

"  Give  them  to  me,  give  them  to  me !  Oh !  what  a 
fool,  what  an  idiot,  I  have  been !  To  give  way  to  de- 
spair for  a  woman  who  makes  sport  of  me,  who  eats 
everything,  when  she  knows  that  I  am  consumed  by 
grief!" 

"  You  acted  like  a  fool,  and  that's  just  what  I've  been 
killing  myself  telling  you." 

"  Give  me  some  wine !  " 

"  Bravo !  let's  drink  !  This  champagne  is  delicious, 
and  I  know  what  I'm  talking  about." 

"  Yes,  I  will  think  no  more  of  her,  I  will  forget  every- 
thing, I  will  love  some  other  woman." 


GUSTAVE' S  LOVE  AFFAIR  73 

"  Pardieu  !  that's  the  true  way !  In  love  especially,  I 
believe  in  homoeopathy." 

Gustave  swallowed  his  glass  of  wine  at  a  draught, 
then  ate  a  few  mouthfuls  with  a  sort  of  avidity ;  but  he 
soon  pushed  his  plate  away,  and  let  his  head  fall  on  his 
breast,  muttering : 

"  Oh  !  no,  I  shall  never  love  another  woman ;  I  know 
well  enough  that  it  would  be  impossible." 

"  The  deuce !  here  he  is  in  another  paroxysm  of  his 
passion !  We  shall  have  some  difficulty  in  curing  the 
dear  boy ;  but  we  will  succeed,  even  though  that  should 
necessitate  our  not  leaving  him  for  a  second  for  ten  years 
to  come !  Be  yourself,  Gustave,  and  finish  your  story, 
which,  I  presume,  must  be  drawing  near  its  end,  and  which 
interests  me  in  the  highest  degree." 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  you  are  right ! — I  was  saying  that  one 
morning,  having  gone  to  Monsieur  Gerbault's  house,  I 
found  Mademoiselle  Adolphine  alone.  She  greeted  me 
with  such  a  sorrowful  air  that  I  could  not  refrain  from 
asking  her  what  caused  her  sadness,  and  she  replied : 
'  I  suffer  for  your  sake,  I  am  grieved  for  you  ;  for  I  know 
how  dearly  you  love  my  sister,  and  I  foresee  how  you 
will  suffer  when  you  learn  that  she  is  going  to  be  married, 
and  not  to  you.' 

"  '  Great  heaven ! '  I  cried ;  '  can  it  be  possible  ?  Fanny, 
false  to  me !  Fanny,  give  herself  to  another  ! ' 

"  '  Yes,'  said  Adolphine.  '  It  seems  to  me  that  it  is 
especially  cruel  to  let  you  hope  on,  when  her  marriage 
to  Monsieur  Auguste  Monleard  was  decided  on  a  fort- 
night ago.' 

"  '  She  is  going  to  marry  Monsieur  Monleard  ! '  I  cried ; 
'  she  throws  me  over  for  that  man !  And  she  smiled  at 
me  only  yesterday  when  I  swore  to  love  her  all  my  life ! ' 


74  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

" '  That's  the  reason  I  determined  to  tell  you  all,'  said 
Adolphine.  '  I  did  not  choose  that  you  should  be  de- 
ceived any  longer.' 

"  I  need  not  tell  you  what  a  state  of  despair  I  was  in. 
Adolphine  tried  in  vain  to  comfort  me;  I  could  not 
believe  in  Fanny's  treachery,  and  I  insisted  upon  seeing 
her,  and  learning  from  her  own  lips  that  she  preferred 
my  rival  to  me. 

"  The  next  day,  I  found  her  alone.  Can  you  believe 
that  she  greeted  me  with  the  same  tranquillity,  the  same 
smile,  as  usual  ?  So  much  so,  that  I  cried :  '  It  isn't 
true,  is  it,  Fanny,  that  you  are  going  to  marry  another 
man  ?  ' — Thereupon,  with  a  little  pout  to  which  she  tried 
to  give  a  fitting  touch  of  melancholy,  she  replied :  '  Yes, 
Gustave ;  it  is  true.  Mon  Dieu !  you  mustn't  be  angry 
with  me.  At  all  events,  it  will  do  no  good,  my  friend ; 
I  have  reflected.  We  haven't  enough  money  to  marry ; 
we  should  have  had  to  lead  the  sort  of  life  in  which  one 
is  always  forced  to  count  the  cost  before  indulging  in 
any  pleasure,  to  see  if  it  is  compatible  with  one's  means ; 
and,  frankly,  it  is  not  amusing  to  figure  up  whether  one 
can  afford  to  enjoy  one's  self  a  little,  to  buy  a  hat  or  a 
jewel  which  takes  one's  fancy.  So  I  concluded  that  it 
was  more  sensible  to  marry  Monsieur  Monleard,  who 
has  a  handsome  fortune,  and  I  have  accepted  his  hand. 
But  it  seems  to  me  that  you  shouldn't  bear  me  a  grudge, 
because  I  have  acted  like  a  sensible  woman,  and  we  can 
still  remain  friends.' 

" '  I,  your  friend ! '  I  exclaimed,  bursting  into  tears ; 
'  when  you  give  yourself  to  another,  when  you  make  me 
miserable  for  life  ! ' 

"  I  don't  know  what  reply  she  made ;  but  somebody 
came  to  tell  her  that  the  materials  for  her  wedding  gown 


GUSTAVE'S  LOVE  AFFAIR  75 

had  arrived,  and  she  hurried  away.  Her  calmness,  her 
indifference,  exasperated  me.  When  I  was  alone,  all  sorts 
of  incoherent  ideas  assailed  me,  but  I  know  that  I  was 
determined  to  die.  I  was  about  to  leave  the  house,  fully 
resolved  not  to  survive  Fanny's  treachery,  when  suddenly 
I  felt  a  caressing  hand  on  my  arm,  while  a  sweet  voice 
said  to  me  in  an  imploring  tone :  '  Be  a  man,  Gustave, 
be  brave ;  resolve  to  endure  this  misfortune,  which  seems 
to  break  your  heart  to-day.  Time  will  allay  your  suffer- 
ing— you  will  love  another  woman,  who  will  love  you  in 
return,  who  will  understand  your  heart ;  and  later  you  will 
be  happy — much  happier,  perhaps,  than  she,  who  thinks 
of  nothing  but  money !  But,  I  entreat  you,  promise  me 
that  you  will  live  ! ' 

"  It  was  Adolphine  who  spoke  to  me  thus.  Her  tears 
were  flowing  freely.  When  I  found  that  my  grief  was 
shared,  I  felt  a  little  relieved,  for  unhappiness  makes  a 
man  selfish,  and,  when  we  are  unhappy,  it  seems  to  us 
that  other  people  ought  to  suffer  as  we  do.  I  promised 
Fanny's  sister  to  renounce  my  thoughts  of  death,  and  I 
left  that  house,  to  which  I  shall  never  return  ! " 

"  I  drink  to  good  little  Adolphine's  health  !  For  my 
part,  I  love  that  feeling  heart — I  shall  never  forget  her. 
And  our  dear  uncle,  what  said  he  when  he  learned  the 
result  of  your  love  affair  ?  " 

"  My  uncle  ?    Oh  !  he  doesn't  believe  in  love,  not  he ! " 
"  He  was  quite  right  not  to  believe  in  your  Mademoi- 
selle Fanny's." 

"  He  has  no  confidence  in  women." 
"  He  has  probably  made  a  study  of  them." 
"  In  fact,  when  I  told  him  that  Fanny  was  to  marry 
another,  he  had  the  heartlessness  to  retort  that  that  was 
lucky  for  me." 


76  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Frankly,  I  agree  with  him  ;  for,  after  all,  my  boy,  as 
the  damsel  didn't  love  you " 

"  Why,  yes,  she  did  love  me,  before  she  knew  this 
Monleard." 

"  She  gave  you  the  preference  when  there  was  nobody 
else." 

"  He  turned  her  head  by  his  magnificence,  his  pres- 
ents." 

"  It  is  much  better  for  you  that  it  happened  before 
your  marriage  rather  than  after. — Here's  your  health ! 
Ah !  here's  the  Perigord  macaroni — with  truffles  on  top 
— that's  the  checker !  Do  you  know  this  way  of  pre- 
paring macaroni  ?  " 

"  It  seems  that  he  hastened  the  ceremony  after  our  last 
interview ;  for  that  was  only  twelve  days  ago,  and  to-day 
I  learned  that  the  wedding  was  to  take  place  at  Notre- 
Dame-de-Lorette,  to  be  followed  by  a  banquet  and  ball 
here." 

"  Yes,  and  then  you  lost  your  head !  You  said  to 
yourself:  '  I  will  be  there,  I  want  to  see  what  sort  of  a 
face  the  faithless  creature  will  make  when  she  sees  me." " 

"True,  monsieur,  true.  But  they  must  have  misin- 
formed me  as  to  the  hour  of  the  ceremony,  for  when  I 
reached  the  church  it  was  all  over — they  had  gone." 

"  So  much  the  better !  that  saved  you  one  stab." 

"Then  I  started  off  like  a  madman  and  ran  all  the 
way  here,  saying  to  myself:  '  I  simply  must  see  her! ' — 
And  you  know  the  rest,  monsieur." 

"  I  do,  indeed ;  and  if  I  hadn't  been  here,  God  knows 
what  would  have  happened !  But  I'm  a  lucky  dog ;  I 
almost  always  turn  up  when  I'm  wanted.  Let  us  water 
the  macaroni!  I  defy  all  the  wedding  parties  in  the  place 
to  dine  better  than  me !  " 


A    GENTLEMAN  WHO  HAD  DINED    WELL  77 


XIII 

A  GENTLEMAN  WHO  HAD  DINED  WELL 

Cherami  had  reached  the  dessert  stage ;  he  had  amply 
repaired  the  ravages  wrought  in  his  stomach  by  the 
privation  of  the  previous  day,  and  he  had  watered  his 
food  so  copiously  with  madeira,  bordeaux,  and  cham- 
pagne, that  his  face  had  become  very  red,  his  eyes  very 
small,  and  his  tongue  very  thick,  which  fact  did  not 
prevent  his  making  constant  use  of  it. 

Gustave  had  drunk  only  two  glasses  of  champagne ; 
but,  as  he  had  eaten  nothing  at  all,  that  had  made  him 
slightly  tipsy,  and  he  was  beginning  anew  his  trips  from 
the  dining-room  to  the  corridor,  when  the  waiter  who 
served  them  hurried  up  to  him,  saying : 

"  The  ladies  are  leaving  the  table,  monsieur ;  I  believe 
they  are  going  to  dress  for  the  ball,  for  some  of  them 
have  already  put  on  their  hats." 

"  Hurry  back,  then ;  take  the  bride's  sister,  Mademoi- 
selle Adolphine,  aside,  and  tell  her  that — Monsieur 
Gustave  insists  upon  speaking  to  her — that  I  am  wait- 
ing for  her  at  the  end  of  the  corridor.  Tell  her  that 
she  simply  must  come ;  you  understand,  she  must  come  ! 
See,  here  are  five  francs  more  for  you." 

"Very  good,  monsieur.  The  bride's  sister.  But  I 
don't  know  her,  do  I  ?  " 

"  Mademoiselle  Adolphine." 

"  Oh  !  yes,  yes.     I  go,  I  fly,  monsieur." 


78  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

Gustave  returned  to  the  private  room,  where  Cherami 
was  occupied  in  admiring  the  bubbling  of  the  champagne 
in  his  glass. 

"  She  is  coming !  I  am  going  to  speak  to  her  !  "  cried 
the  young  man. 

"  What !  Do  you  mean  that  she's  coming  to  join  us 
here?" 

"  Yes.  Oh !  I  am  certain  that  she'll  come.  She  would 
not  like  to  drive  me  to  do  some  crazy  thing." 

"  All  right !  so  much  the  better,  sacrebleu  !  Let  her 
come,  and  we'll  tell  her  something.  She's  a  sinner,  a  flirt." 

"  But  it's  Adolphine  who's  coming,  not  Fanny." 

"  Adolphine,  the  good  little  sister  ?  Oh !  that's  a  dif- 
ferent matter.  I  will  embrace  her,  I  will  even  make  love 
to  her  a  bit,  if  she  will  permit  me." 

"  They  are  going  away,  to  dress  for  the  ball ;  but  first,  I 

am  determined Ah !  someone  is  coming — a  woman 

—it's  she ! " 

It  was,  in  fact,  the  young  Adolphine,  who  ran  along 
the  corridor,  trembling  with  distress  and  emotion,  and 
entered  the  room,  crying : 

"  What !  Monsieur  Gustave !  you  here !  Why,  in 
heaven's  name,  did  you  come  ?  " 

"  Because  I  knew  that  she  was  here — and  I  hope  to 
see  her  once  more." 

"  Ah!  mon  Dieu  !  what  madness! — And  you,  monsieur, 
you  promised  to  take  care  of  him." 

"Why,  mademoiselle,  I  am  doing  just  that;  I  haven't 
lost  sight  of  him  a  moment;  and  if  I  hadn't  been  here, 
to  constantly  restrain  him,  he  would  have  gone  twenty 
times  to  make  trouble  at  your  wedding  feast,  and  to 
insult  the  husband." 

"Oh!  Gustave!" 


A    GENTLEMAN  WHO  HAD  DINED    WELL  79 

"  No,  no,  Adolphine ;  have  no  fear  of  that." 

"  Don't  you  trust  what  he  says,  mademoiselle;  he's  lost 
his  head ;  luckily,  I  am  here ;  I  am  calm  and  prudent." 

"  But  why  did  you  come  here  ?  " 

"  We  came  here  to  dine,  mademoiselle,  which  we  had 
a  perfect  right  to  do.  For,  after  all,  although  a  man  may 
not  belong  to  a  wedding  party,  that  need  not  prevent  his 
dining,  and  dining  very  well  too,  I  give  you  my  word." 

"  But  I  can't  stay  any  longer ! — We  are  going  away  to 
dress ;  I  am  sure  they  are  waiting  for  me.  What  do  you 
want  of  me,  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  " 

"  To  beg  you  to  give  me  an  opportunity  to  speak  to 
your  sister  once  more." 

"  To  Fanny  ?  Why,  it  isn't  possible !  Besides,  what 
would  you  say  to  her  ?  " 

"  I  will  say  good-bye  to  her  forever ;  I  will  tell  her 
that  I  hope  that  she  will  be  happy — although  she  has 
wrecked  my  life." 

"  But  how  do  you  suppose  that  she  can  speak  to  you  in 
secret?  she  is  always  surrounded;  there's  always  some- 
body with  us.  What  would  people  say?  what  would 
they  think  ?  " 

"  If  you  refuse,  I  will  go  and  speak  to  her  during  the 
ball." 

"  Well — no Wait  here,  then ;  and,  when  we  return 

from  dressing,  I  will  try — I  will  make  her  come  through 
this  corridor." 

"  Oh !  thanks,  thanks  a  thousand  times  !  Ah !  you  are 
too  kind  ! " 

"  I  must  go ;  adieu !  But,  in  heaven's  name,  keep  out 
of  sight,  don't  show  yourself!  " 

As  she  spoke,  Adolphine  made  a  sign  of  intelligence 
to  Cherami,  who  imagined  that  the  charming  young 


8o  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

woman  was  throwing  him  a  kiss ;  but  she  disappeared 
just  as  he  left  the  table  to  go  to  embrace  her;  and  as 
the  waiter  entered  the  room  at  that  moment,  the  ex-beau 
bestowed  a  resounding  smack  upon  that  functionary's 
cheek. 

"  Sacrebleu !  what  is  this  ?  "  cried  Cherami,  roughly 
pushing  back  the  waiter,  who  stood  by  the  door  in  open- 
mouthed  amazement  at  the  caress  he  had  received. — 
"  Why  the  devil  do  you  come  up  under  my  nose,  waiter? 
Plague  take  the  knave !  I  said  to  myself:  '  Gad !  this 
young  lady  uses  very  cheap  soap  ! ' ' 

"  Pardon,  monsieur ;  it  isn't  my  fault ;  I  was  coming  in, 
and  you  ran  into  my  arms.  I  know  well  enough  that  it 
wasn't  me  you  meant  to  embrace." 

"  It's  lucky  that  you  understand  that." 

"  Waiter,  what  are  the  ladies  doing  now  ?  " 

"  They  are  all  going  away,  monsieur." 

"And  the  men?" 

"  Some  of  them  have  gone,  too ;  but  many  stayed,  and 
are  playing  cards." 

"And  the  Blanquette  party,  waiter — what  are  they 
doing  now  ?  " 

"The  Blanquette  party  are  still  at  table,  monsieur,  and 
singing." 

"Ah!  I  recognize  them  by  that.  They'll  sit  at  table 
till  ten  o'clock,  those  people ;  the  petty  bourgeois  sing  at 
dessert,  which  is  very  bad  form.  However,  I  confess 
that  I  have  sometimes  gone  so  far  as  to  hum  a  ditty 
myself;  I  have  even  composed  one  on  occasion,  one 
which  Panard  or  Colle  wouldn't  have  been  ashamed  to 
father.  But  I  like  a  touch  of  smut  myself;  don't  talk 
to  me  of  your  insipid  ballads  about  roses  and  zephyrs 
and  the  springtime;  no,  nor  your  political  ballads  either; 


A    GENTLEMAN  WHO  HAD  DINED    WELL          8l 

I  abominate  them ;  and  yet,  that's  the  kind  of  thing  that 
makes  great  reputations;  and  I  know  men  who  would 
have  been  nothing  more  than  common  ballad-mongers, 
if  they  hadn't  flattered  parties  and  passions,  and  who 
have  reached  the  very  pinnacle  of  fame  because  they 
always  end  their  couplets  with  the  words  fatherland  and 
liberty.  O  Armand  Gouffe !  O  Desaugiers !  you  didn't 
resort  to  such  methods,  so  very  little  is  heard  of  you. 
You  are  none  the  less  the  real  French  ballad-makers; 
your  fruitful  and  vigorous  muse  has  discovered  innu- 
merable varied  subjects  and  described  them  in  song, 
which  is  much  more  difficult  than  to  keep  harping  on 
the  same  refrain." 

"  But,  my  dear  Monsieur  Arthur,  now  that  I  am  wait- 
ing for  the  return  of  the  bride,  to  whom  I  shall  say 
adieu  forever,  if  your  affairs  call  you  elsewhere,  do  not 
hesitate  to  go.  Leave  me;  I  have  abused  your  good- 
nature too  far  already." 

"  I,  leave  you  !  No,  indeed !  What  do  you  take  me 
for? — What!  after  accepting  your  suggestion  that  we 
should  dine  together,  leave  you  all  of  a  sudden  at  des- 
sert ?  Fie  !  Only  a  cad  would  do  that ;  and,  thank  God ! 
I  know  what  good-breeding  is.  Tell  me,  do  I  annoy 
you  ?  Is  my  presence  distasteful  to  you  ?  " 

"Ah!  far  from  it,  my  dear  sir;  you  have  shown  an 
interest  in  my  affairs,  which  I  shall  never  forget." 

"  We  were  born  to  be  friends,  and  we  are ;  that  is  set- 
tled, your  affairs  are  mine,  what  concerns  you  concerns 
me.  Wherever  there  is  danger  for  you,  it  is  my  duty  to 
look  after  you ;  and,  you  understand,  if,  while  you  are 
talking  with  the  bride,  her  new  husband  should  happen  to 
come  prowling  about  here,  I  will  just  step  in  front  of  him 
and  say :  '  I  am  very  sorry,  my  boy,  but  you  can't  pass ! ' " 


82  MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 

"  Oh !  a  thousand  thanks  for  your  devotion  to  me ! 
Waiter !  waiter !  our  bill !  " 

"  Here  it  is,  monsieur." 

"  You  pay  for  the  dinner ;  that's  all  right ;  but  as  we 
are  to  stay  here  some  little  time  perhaps,  we  must  have 
something  to  keep  us  busy." 

"  Order  whatever  you  want." 

"  Waiter,  make  us  a  nice  little  rum  punch ;  it's  excellent 
for  the  digestion ;  the  English  eat  a  great  deal,  but  they 
drink  punch  at  dessert,  and  they're  all  right.  Would 
you  like  to  play  cards,  to  kill  time  ?  " 

"  Thanks,  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  put  my 
mind  on  the  game." 

"  I  don't  insist.  I  am  rather  fond  of  cards,  but  I  don't 
carry  that  passion  to  excess.  Pardieu  !  I  don't  say  that 
I  may  not  take  a  hand  by  and  by  at  the  Blanquette 
function.  Did  I  tell  you  that  I  knew  them?  They're 
linen-drapers ;  that  sort  of  people  play  rather  high ;  but 
that  doesn't  frighten  me.  Ah!  here's  our  punch!  I  divine 
it  by  the  odor ;  the  table  is  excellent  at  this  house." 

Cherami  lost  no  time  in  partaking  of  the  punch.  Gus- 
tave  refused  it  at  first,  but  finally  consented  to  take  a  glass. 

The  night  had  come ;  the  lights  were  lighted  on  all 
sides.  With  the  darkness,  the  unhappy  lover's  thoughts 
became  more  gloomy,  his  suffering  more  intense;  he 
buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  muttering : 

"  It's  all  over !  O  Fanny !  Fanny !  you  will  belong  to 
another!  Ah  !  I  shall  die  of  my  grief!  " 

"  Sapristi!"  said  Cherami  to  himself,  swallowing  several 
glasses  of  punch  in  rapid  succession ;  "  this  youngster  is 
very  lachrymose ;  he  isn't  lively  in  his  cups.  With  me, 
it's  different ;  I  feel  in  the  mood  to  dance  at  all  the  wed- 
ding parties,  and  to  play  cards  too — only  I  shall  have  to 


THE   PUNCH  PRODUCES  ITS  EFFECT  83 

borrow  a  few  napoleons  from  my  new  friend,  in  order  to 
be  able  to  tempt  fortune.  I  have  an  idea  that  I  shall  have 
a  vein  of  luck  !  I  say,  my  dear  friend,  aren't  we  drinking 
any  more  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  no,  thanks,  monsieur !  " 

"  Then  I  will  drink  for  both  of  us.  This  punch  is  too 
sweet !  Here,  waiter,  put  in  more  rum,  a  lot  of  it ! " 

"  But,  monsieur,  there's  no  more  punch  in  the  bowl." 

"  Well!  then  make  another  bowl,  but  make  it  stronger." 

The  other  bowl  was  brought. 

After  drinking  two  more  glasses,  Cherami  tried  to  rise, 
but  was  obliged  to  hold  on  to  the  table  to  keep  from 
falling;  however,  although  he  felt  that  his  legs  were 
wavering  under  him,  he  determined  to  maintain  his  dig- 
nity, and  did  his  best  to  keep  his  balance  as  he  walked 
toward  the  door. 


XIV 

THE   PUNCH   PRODUCES  ITS  EFFECT 

"  They  are  a  long  while  coming  back,  those  ladies  !  " 
muttered  Gustave,  coming  and  going  from  the  room  to 
the  corridor. 

"  Oh !  my  dear  fellow,  when  a  woman's  at  her  toilet, 
one  can  never  be  sure  how  long  a  time  she'll  spend  over 
it.  One  day,  I  remember,  in  the  time  of  my  splendor,  I 
was  waiting  for  my  mistress,  to  go  to  the  theatre,  to  see 
a  new  play.  I  believe  it  was  at  the  Opera-Comique — but, 
no  matter.  She  had  finally  got  dressed, — it  had  taken 
her  a  long  while, — when,  happening  to  look  in  the  mirror, 


84  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

she  cried :  '  My  wreath  of  blue-bottles  is  too  far  down 
on  my  forehead — I  must  change  it — it's  just  a  matter  of 
putting  in  a  pin.' — 'All  right/  said  I;  'put  in  your  pin. 
I'll  wait' — My  dear  fellow,  that  pin,  and  all  the  others 
that  she  put  in  after  it,  took  an  hour  and  a  half!  and 
when  we  reached  the  theatre,  the  new  play  was  over." 

Observing  that  his  young  companion  had  fallen  into 
abstraction  once  more,  and  was  paying  no  heed  to  him, 
Cherami  decided  to  leave  the  private  room  and  try  his 
fortunes  in  the  corridor,  saying  to  himself: 

"  I  feel  the  need  of  a  little  fresh  air ;  it's  as  hot  as  the 
tropics  in  these  private  dining-rooms.  Ah !  what  do  I 
see  yonder  ?  Ladies — many  ladies.  I  must  go  and  cast 
an  eye  in  that  direction.  The  fair  sex  attracts  me — it's 
my  magnet." 

The  ladies  of  the  Monleard  party  were  beginning  to 
return,  arrayed  for  the  ball.  To  reach  the  room  where 
they  were  to  dance,  they  had  to  pass  along  the  corridor 
to  the  main  staircase.  Cherami  took  his  stand  at  the 
head  of  the  staircase,  and  there  ogled  the  ladies,  bowed 
to  them  all  as  if  he  knew  them,  and  spoke  to  each  of 
them  as  she  passed. 

"  Charming,  on  my  word  !  A  divine  costume  ! — White 
shoulders  that  would  drive  Venus  to  despair ! — Ah !  how 
we  are  going  to  flirt ! — A  very  pretty  head-dress ;  bravo ! 
— Ah !  here's  a  mamma  who  proposes  to  play  the  coy 
maiden.  Dear  lady,  you  will  find  difficulty  in  getting 
partners,  I  warn  you.  There  are  pretty  faces  here  that 
will  monopolize  all  the  cavaliers.  Oho  !  what  fine  eyes  ! 
they  are  like  carbuncles.  Who  will  deign  to  accept  my 
hand  or  my  arm  ?  I  am  at  your  service,  fair  ladies  !  " 

But  the  ladies,  instead  of  accepting  the  hand  which  my 
gentleman  offered  them,  passed  him  without  replying, 


THE  PUNCH  PRODUCES  ITS  EFFECT  85 

or  shrank  from  him,  because  there  was  in  his  whole 
aspect  a  seediness  entirely  out  of  harmony  with  their 
ball-dresses ;  moreover,  he  smelt  so  strongly  of  punch 
and  liquors  that  it  was  impossible  to  pass  him  without 
receiving  a  whiff  of  the  odor. 

Several  ladies  put  their  handkerchiefs  to  their  faces  as 
they  hurried  by,  and  some  exclaimed :  "  Why,  who  can 
that  man  be  ?  Where  did  he  come  from  ?  He  is  drunk  ! 
— Surely  he  is  not  one  of  Monsieur  Monleard's  wedding 
guests.  What  is  he  doing  there,  like  a  sentinel  ?  He 
speaks  to  everybody,  and  with  an  astonishing  lack  of 
ceremony.  He  poisons  the  air  with  wine  and  liquor. 
Can't  somebody  send  the  horrible  creature  away  ? " 

These  complaints  soon  reached  the  ears  of  the  gentle- 
men who  had  remained  to  play  cards.  Some  of  them 
rose  and  walked  into  the  hall,  saying: 

"  Parbleu !  we  will  find  out  who  this  fellow  is  who 
takes  the  liberty  of  speaking  to  ladies  whom  he  doesn't 
know ! " 

Cherami  had  just  offered  his  hand  to  a  pretty  little 
woman,  who  had  refused  it  and  instantly  put  her  hand- 
kerchief to  her  nose.  This  pantomime,  having  been  fre- 
quently repeated  in  front  of  the  ex-beau,  began  to  offend 
him,  and  he  suddenly  exclaimed : 

"Deuce  take  it!  what's  the  matter  with  all  these 
prudes,  that  they  hide  their  faces  with  their  handker- 
chiefs ?  Can  it  be  because  they  think  that  I  have  any 
desire  to  kiss  them  !  Ah  !  I've  seen  prettier  women  than 
you — who  didn't  run  away  from  me,  my  princesses !  " 

"  To  whom  are  you  speaking,  monsieur  ?  Is  it  these 
ladies  to  whom  you  dare  to  address  such  language  ?  " 

"  Hallo !  who's  this  ?  where  did  he  come  from  ?  Ah ! 
what  a  noble  head !  " 


86  MONSIEUR   CHER  AM  I 

"  It  is  for  you,  monsieur,  to  answer  those  questions. 
Off  with  you,  at  once,  or  I'll  put  you  out-of-doors." 

"  Out-of-doors,  eh  ?  Understand  that  I  dined  here — 
with  my  friend  Gustave — Gustave  something  or  other 
— and  that  I  have  as  much  right  as  you  to  stay  here — 
that  I  won't  go  away." 

"  I  forbid  you  to  speak  to  these  ladies." 

"  Thanks  !  I  have  my  cue." 

The  ladies  interposed  to  prevent  a  dispute,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  taking  their  champions  away  with  them, 
saying : 

"  You  can  see  that  the  man's  drunk.  What  satisfac- 
tion do  you  expect  to  obtain  from  a  man  who  hasn't  his 
senses?  Leave  him  there,  and  pay  no  more  attention 
to  him." 

The  men  yielded  to  this  request,  and  they  left  Cherami 
standing  there  and  entered  the  ballroom. 

Meanwhile,  the  waiter  who  had  served  the  dinner  in 
the  private  room  ran  up  to  Cherami. 

"  The  gentleman  who  dined  with  you  is  going  away ; 
someone  has  come  for  him." 

"  What !  my  friend  Gustave  going  away  ?  Why,  it's 
impossible !  He  won't  go  without  me ;  besides,  he's 
waiting  for  the  bride ;  we  must  have  the  bride ;  she's  been 
promised  to  us." 

"  He's  going,  I  tell  you." 

The  ex-beau  decided  to  return  to  the  private  room,  and 
found  at  the  door  his  young  friend  and  a  man  of  mature 
years,  short  of  stature,  but  with  a  cold,  stern  face  which 
imposed  respect.  They  were  on  the  point  of  leaving. 

"  Well,  well !  what  does  this  mean  ?  "  cried  Cherami. 
"  What !  my  dear  Gustave,  going,  and  without  me — your 
intimate  friend,  your  Orestes,  your  Patroclus  ?  " 


THE  PUNCH  PRODUCES  ITS  EFFECT  87 

"  Who  is  this  new  friend  of  yours,  whom  I  don't  know, 
whom  I  have  never  seen  with  you?"  the  short  man  asked 
Gustave,  whose  arm  he  held  fast. 

"  It's  a  gentleman  who  has  been  kind  enough  to  take 
some  interest  in  me,  uncle,"  faltered  Gustave ; — "  I  was 
so  unhappy — and  to  keep  me  company." 

"  And  whose  dinner  you  have  paid  for,  I  presume  ? 
Your  friend  did  not  spare  himself." 

"  What  do  I  hear  ?     Monsieur  is  your  uncle  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  I  am  Gustave's  uncle." 

"  Then  you  are  Monsieur  Grandcourt  ?  " 

"Just  so." 

"  Oh !  Delighted  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  my 
friend's  uncle." 

"  I  am  obliged  to  you,  monsieur ;  but  we  are  going." 

"  What !  you  are  going  ?  Pray,  do  you  not  know  that 
your  dear  nephew  desires  to  speak  once  more  with  the 
bride,  the  faithless  Fanny  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  I  do  know  it,  and  it  was  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  preventing  that  interview,  which  might  result  in  a 
scandalous  scene,  that  I  came  here  and  that  I  am  taking 
my  nephew  away." 

"  But  her  little  sister,  the  charming  Adolphine,  would 
have  obtained  an  interview  for  us  in  secret." 

"  You  are  mistaken,  monsieur ;  for  it  was  Mademoiselle 
Adolphine  herself  who  sent  word  to  me  that  my  nephew 
was  here,  and  begged  me  to  exert  my  authority  to  take 
him  away  and  prevent  his  seeing  her  sister ;  that  young 
woman  realized  all  the  impropriety  of  the  proposed 
interview." 

"  What !  it  was  the  little  sister  who  sent  word  to  you  ? 
Ah !  the  little  mouse !  These  women  are  all  leagued 
together  to  fool  us." 


88  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  On  this  occasion,  monsieur,  Mademoiselle  Adolphine 
showed  as  much  good  sense  as  prudence,  and  she  de- 
serves only  praise  from  us.  Come,  Gustave,  say  adieu  to 
monsieur,  thank  him  for  the  service  which  he  intended,  I 
doubt  not,  to  render  you,  and  let's  be  off." 

"So  it's  all  over,  uncle,  is  it?  you  drag  me  away 
without  allowing  me  to  see  her  once  more  ?  " 

"  Really,  nephew,  you  disgust  me  with  your  love  and 
your  regrets  for  a  woman  who  has  treated  you  with  con- 
tempt, played  with  you  like  a  child.  Be  a  man,  for  God's 
sake !  Repay  contempt  with  contempt,  scorn  with  scorn  ! 
and  blush  to  think  that  you  placed  your  affections  so  ill. 
Let  us  go." 

"  One  moment,  dear  uncle  of  my  friend :  I  desire  most 
earnestly  to  know  you  more  intimately.  Gustave  will 
tell  you  that  I  am  worthy  of  your  friendship.  I  do  not 
accompany  you,  because  I  am  going  to  the  Blanquette 
wedding  feast,  which  is  on  the  second  floor.  Give  me 
your  address,  please ;  I  will  call  and  breakfast  with  you 
to-morrow." 

"  It  is  useless,  monsieur ;  to-morrow,  we  shall  be  at 
Havre." 

"  At  Havre  ?  Very  good !  it's  all  the  same  to  me ;  I 
will  go  there  with  you.  Ah !  my  dear  Gustave,  do  let  go 
of  the  dear  uncle's  arm  a  moment ;  I  have  a  word  to  say 
to  you  in  private,  just  a  word;  but  it's  very  important." 

But,  paying  no  further  heed  to  Cherami,  Monsieur 
Grandcourt  led  his  nephew  away  at  a  rapid  pace,  and 
they  left  the  restaurant  while  Gustave's  friend  was  still 
talking  to  them  in  the  corridor. 


THE  ECARTE  PLAYERS  89 


XV 
THE  ECART6  PLAYERS 

When  he  finally  discovered  that  he  was  alone,  Cherami 
returned  to  the  private  dining-room,  sat  down  at  the  table, 
looked  into  the  bowl,  where  there  was  still  some  punch, 
and  poured  out  a  glass,  saying  to  himself: 

"  After  all,  I  shall  have  no  difficulty  in  finding  them 
again.  The  uncle  doesn't  seem  quite  so  amiable  as  the 
nephew;  there's  a  something  stiff  and  cold  in  his  face. 
He  fell  in  here  like  a  bombshell.  It's  a  pity;  I  felt  just 
in  the  mood  to  kidnap  the  bride  before  the  noses  of  the 
Athenians  and  of  all  those  hussies  who  hid  their  faces 
with  their  handkerchiefs.  Suppose  I  go  and  clean  out 
the  whole  crowd  ?  No,  they're  not  worth  the  trouble. 
I  prefer  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  Blanquette  festivity ;  there  I 
am  known,  they  won't  treat  me  as  an  intruder.  Sapristi ! 
what  a  pity  that  I  hadn't  the  time  to  borrow  a  few  napo- 
leons from  my  new  friend.  He  would  have  loaned  them 
to  me;  there's  no  doubt  about  it.  Ah!  I  waited  too  long; 
but  I  couldn't  suspect  that  an  uncle  would  arrive  all  of  a 
sudden — just  as  they  do  in  vaudevilles,  to  bring  about  an 
unexpected  denouement.  Aha !  what  do  I  hear  ?  Music, 
they're  playing  a  quadrille.  Gad !  it  seems  to  me  that 
I  could  make  a  pretty  figure  at  a  little  contra-dance. 
That  music  puts  me  right  in  the  mood  for  it.  O  power 
of  music !  Emollit  mores  nee  sint  esse  feros.  I  think  I'll 
go  and  say  that  to  the  bucks  who  are  dancing  upstairs ! 
They'd  think  I  was  asking  them  for  a  cigar. — Pretty 


90  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

music!  Sapristi!  it  shall  not  be  said  that  I  remained 
alone  in  this  room,  like  a  bear  in  its  cage,  while  every- 
body else  in  the  place  is  enjoying  himself.  Here  goes 
for  a  look  in  at  the  Blanquette  function." 

And  Cherami  jumped  to  his  feet,  put  his  hat  on  his 
head,  took  his  little  cane,  and  rushed  from  the  room. 
When  he  was  in  the  corridor,  he  lurched  against  the  wall 
more  than  once;  but,  with  the  instinct  of  a  man  accus- 
tomed to  frequent  over-indulgence,  he  drew  himself  up 
and  steadied  himself  on  his  legs. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  he  said. — "  You  stumble  for  a 
glass  or  two  of  punch  ?  Come,  come,  Arthur,  I  shouldn't 
know  you,  my  boy;  you're  not  drunk,  you  can't  be  drunk." 

Thereupon  the  mind  steadied  the  body,  and  he  walked 
to  the  stairway  with  a  somewhat  less  uncertain  step. 
There  he  could  plainly  hear  the  orchestra  of  the  elegant 
Monleard  ball.  He  paused  a  moment,  saying  to  himself: 

"  Suppose  I  should  enter  abruptly,  and  make  a  scene 
with  the  perfidious  Fanny,  in  behalf  of  my  young  friend 
Gustave — what  a  stunning  coup  !  what  an  effect  I  would 
produce! — Yes,  but  those  people  don't  know  me;  they 
don't  know  that  I  once  had  thirty-five  thousand  francs 
a  year,  and  that  I  have  been  the  most  popular  man  in 
Paris.  They  would  be  quite  capable  of  treating  me  as 
an  intruder!  I  should  talk  back — and  then,  duels!  Let's 
not  end  in  sadness  a  day  so  well  employed.  Dies  fasti, 
as  the  Romans  used  to  say.  It's  surprising  how  the 
punch  brings  back  my  Latin !  Let's  go  up  a  floor,  and 
join  the  Blanquette  wedding  party ;  there,  at  all  events,  I 
know  the  bridegroom  slightly,  and  the  uncle  very  well. 
I  owe  him  four  or  five  hundred  francs  for  cloth — an 
additional  reason  why  he  should  receive  me  well;  a  man 
never  closes  his  door  to  his  debtors." 


THE  EC  ARTS  PLAYERS  91 

Having  arrived  on  the  second  floor,  Cherami  heard  the 
strains  of  another  orchestra ;  he  passed  through  a  large 
room  where  he  saw  nothing  but  men's  hats  hanging  on 
hooks,  and  immediately  hung  up  his  own  and  placed  his 
cane  beside  it. 

"  I  must  show  my  breeding,"  he  said  to  himself;  "  one 
doesn't  appear  at  a  wedding  party  as  at  a  messroom.  Ah! 
what  do  I  see  in  that  corner  ?  a  very  fine  yellow  glove, 
on  my  word !  Pardieu !  it  arrives  most  opportunely !  It's 
for  the  left  hand,  but,  no  matter :  I  can  keep  the  other 
in  my  pocket.  It  fits  me,  it  really  fits  me  beautifully! 
What  a  pity  that  the  man  who  dropped  it  didn't  drop  the 
right-hand  one  too !  No  matter ;  this  one  gives  a  sort 
of  dressed-up,  coquettish  air,  which  sets  off  the  wearer.  I 
will  keep  my  right  hand  under  the  tail  of  my  coat — nay, 
I  will  skilfully  hold  both  tails  in  my  hand,  and  people  will 
think  I'm  in  full  dress.  Forward,  charge  their  guns  !  " 

Cherami  passed  into  a  second  room,  which  was  occu- 
pied by  card-players  :  there  were  two  tables  of  whist  and 
one  of  ecarte.  With  the  exception  of  two  elderly  women 
at  one  of  the  whist  tables,  there  were  only  men  in  the 
room ;  and  as  they  were  all  busily  engaged  in  playing, 
or  watching  the  play,  nobody  noticed  the  arrival  of  the 
party  in  plaid  trousers. 

Cherami  smiled  at  everybody,  although  he  saw  no  one 
whom  he  knew ;  there  were  very  few  persons  about  the 
whist  tables — only  one  or  two  enthusiasts  watching  the 
games — so  that  one  could  easily  approach  them.  It  was 
not  the  same  with  the  ecarte  table ;  there  was  a  crowd 
of  young  men  about  it,  and  it  was  very  difficult  to  see 
their  hands. 

Cherami  walked  about  for  some  minutes,  daintily 
scratching  the  end  of  his  nose  with  his  gloved  hand,  and 


92 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


holding  the  other  behind  his  back,  under  the  skirt  of  his 
coat.  Suddenly  one  of  the  players  cried : 

"  Twenty  francs  lacking  !  Come,  gentlemen ;  who'll 
make  it  good  ?  " 

"  Not  I,  by  a  long  shot !  "  said  a  young  man,  turning 
toward  Cherami ;  "  they're  having  extraordinary  luck ! 
They  have  passed  six  times  over  there !  But  I  know 
Minoret ;  he's  a  lucky  dog  !  When  he  sets  about  it,  he's 
quite  capable  of  passing  twenty  times  in  succession." 

"  Still  twenty  francs  lacking,"  the  same  voice  repeated ; 
"  who  makes  it  good  ?  " 

"  I,"  cried  Cherami,  in  a  loud  voice.  "  I  make  it  good ; 
I  trust  to  Monsieur  Minoret's  luck." 

This  remark  attracted  general  attention  to  Cherami. 
The  young  men  scrutinized  him,  then  smiled,  and  said  to 
one  another : 

"  Who  the  deuce  is  this  fellow  ?  " 

"  What  an  extraordinary  figure ! " 

"And  his  dress  is  even  more  extraordinary.  Who 
ever  heard  of  going  to  a  wedding  in  plaid  trousers  and 
waistcoat ! " 

"And  they're  far  from  new." 

"  He  wasn't  at  the  supper,  I'm  sure." 

"  No.  I  would  like  right  well  to  know  who  he  is.  He 
seems  to  know  Minoret." 

A  moment  later,  the  player  addressed  as  Minoret 
spoke  again : 

"  Well !  who  is  it  who  makes  good  the  twenty  francs  ? 
Why  doesn't  he  put  up  the  money  ?  " 

"  I  am  the  man,  monsieur,  who  makes  it  good,"  replied 
Cherami,  still  louder  than  before ;  "  and,  sapristi !  when  I 
say  that  I  make  it  good,  it  seems  to  me  that  it's  the  same 
thing  as  if  I  had  put  up  the  money !  But  perhaps  you'll 


THE  E  CARTE  PLAYERS  93 

give  me  time  to  find  my  purse,  which  has  slipped  into 
the  lining  of  my  waistcoat." 

The  tone  in  which  Cherami  spoke  imposed  silence 
upon  all  those  who  surrounded  the  ecarte  table.  It 
rarely  happens  that  one  cannot,  by  talking  loud  enough, 
produce  that  effect  on  the  multitude ;  and  if  the  victory 
on  the  battlefield  almost  always  remains  with  the  great- 
est numbers,  so  in  a  discussion  it  almost  always  remains 
with  the  loudest  voices. 

So  the  card-players  concluded  to  deal  the  cards  and 
go  on  with  the  game.  Meanwhile,  Cherami  went  through 
a  very  curious  pantomime.  Having  decided  to  withdraw 
his  right  hand  from  behind  his  back,  he  plunged  it  into 
one  pocket  of  his  waistcoat,  then  into  the  other,  then 
into  his  trousers-pockets,  pretending  to  be  in  search  of 
something  which  he  was  very  sure  of  not  finding;  but 
he  went  about  it  with  a  zeal  which  deceived  the  most 
incredulous,  interspersing  his  investigations  with  such 
ejaculations  as : 

"  Where  the  devil  have  I  put  my  purse  !  It's  incon- 
ceivable— as  soon  as  you  begin  to  look  for  a  thing,  you 
can't  remember  what  you  did  with  it !  I  certainly  had  it 
just  now  when  I  paid  my  cabman.  Can  I  have  dropped 
it  beside  my  pocket,  thinking  that  I  put  it  inside  ?  Let's 
try  this  side ;  it  seems  to  me  that  I  feel  something.  Yes — 
I  have  it  at  last.  Oh  !  the  devil !  it  isn't  my  purse,  it's  my 
cigar-case ! — I  believe  I  haven't  looked  in  this  pocket." 

But,  as  our  bettor  hoped,  the  game  came  to  an  end 
before  he  had  finished  his  search ;  and  ere  long  these 
words  reached  his  ears,  and  filled  his  heart  with  joy : 

"  I  was  sure  of  it ;  Minoret  has  won  again  !  " 

Cherami  instantly  rushed  to  the  table,  extended  his  left 
hand,  closed,  to  the  player  on  whom  he  had  bet,  and  said: 


94 


MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 


"  I  have  just  found  my  purse :  here's  the  twenty  francs 
I  bet  on  you,  monsieur." 

"  You  don't  need  to  put  up  the  money,  monsieur,  as 
we  have  won,-"  replied  Minoret ;  "  on  the  contrary,  here's 
twenty  francs  that  belongs  to  you." 

As  he  spoke,  the  player  handed  Cherami  a  twenty- 
franc  piece ;  but  in  order  to  take  it,  he  would  have  had 
to  open  the  hand  which  he  held  tightly  closed,  and  then 
they  would  have  seen  that  he  had  nothing  in  it.  Like  the 
shrewd  man  he  was,  he  realized  the  peril  of  his  position, 
and  boldly  solved  the  difficulty  by  replying  in  his  turn : 

"  Very  good,  monsieur ;  keep  the  twenty  francs ;  I  will 
bet  on  you  again." 

To  those  who  consider  that  it  was  very  imprudent  for 
a  man  who  had  not  a  sou,  to  risk  upon  one  deal  the 
twenty  francs  he  had  just  won,  we  reply  that,  as  a  gen- 
eral rule,  those  who  are  most  in  need  of  money  play  for 
the  highest  stakes.  Moreover,  in  this  instance,  Cherami 
was  excused  by  the  embarrassing  position  in  which  he  was 
placed. 

Monsieur  Minoret's  luck  did  not  change ;  he  won  six 
times  more,  and  was  not  beaten  until  the  seventh ;  and 
Cherami,  who  had  continued  to  bet  on  the  same  side,  found 
himself  in  possession  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  francs 
when  he  left  the  table,  at  which  he  had  taken  his  place 
without  a  sou.  There  was  a  fitting  occasion  to  speak 
Latin ;  and  our  gambler,  after  the  sacramental  "  I  have 
my  cue,"  did  not  fail  to  add:  "Audaces  fortuna  juvat!" 
Never  was  maxim  more  fittingly  applied ;  indeed,  one 
might  perhaps  consider  that  on  this  occasion  Cherami 
was  something  more  than  audacious. 

"  I  must  confess  that  I  did  well  to  bet !  "  said  Cherami 
to  himself,  jingling  in  his  pockets  the  gold  pieces  he  had 


THE  BLANQUETTE    WEDDING  BALL  95 

won.  "  Pardieu  !  I  am  tempted  to  go  and  buy  a  right- 
hand  glove.  Bah !  what's  the  use  ?  I  may  well  have  lost 
the  other.  The  first  owner  of  this  one  must  find  himself 
in  the  same  predicament.  Let's  go  to  the  ballroom ;  I 
feel  in  the  mood  for  a  polka,  and  if  there's  any  susceptible 
female  there,  I  will  fascinate  her  by  my  glances." 


XVI 

THE  BLANQUETTE  WEDDING  BALL 

The  ballroom  was  long  and  narrow ;  a  waltz  was  in 
progress  at  the  moment  selected  by  Cherami  to  make 
his  appearance.  He  began  by  running  into  a  couple 
who  were  waltzing  in  two-time,  which  means  that  they 
were  out  of  step,  as  a  waltz  is  always  in  three-time. 
Surely  they  who  invented  that  style  of  dancing  could 
not  have  had  a  musical  ear.  Now,  waltzers  in  two-time 
always  move  very  rapidly ;  indeed,  that  is  the  main  pur- 
pose of  the  innovation.  Cherami,  colliding  suddenly 
with  the  couple  as  they  passed,  stepped  back  and  came 
in  contact  with  some  waltzers  in  three-time,  who  were 
abandoning  themselves  voluptuously  to  the  charms  of 
the  waltz ;  the  lady,  letting  her  head  hang  languidly  on 
one  side,  and  keeping  her  eyes  half-closed  to  avoid  being 
dizzy ;  her  partner,  holding  himself  firm  on  his  legs, 
pressing  his  partner's  waist  with  an  arm  of  iron,  and 
gazing  down  at  her  with  eyes  that  flashed  fire. 

Being  abruptly  aroused  from  their  ecstasy  by  a  person 
who  bumped  against  them  and  threw  them  out  of  step, 
they  cried : 


96  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

"  Pray  be  careful !  Mon  Dieu  !  how  awkward  some 
people  are ! " 

"  What's  that !  be  careful  yourselves ! "  retorted  the 
man  with  one  glove.  "  What  the  devil !  you  waltzed 
into  my  back." 

"  But  you  should  get  out  of  the  way,  monsieur !  The 
idea  of  standing  in  front  of  people  who  are  waltz- 
ing!" 

"  Ah !  monsieur,  you  have  torn  my  dress,  and  you 
trod  on  my  foot !  " 

"  But  who  is  this  shabbily  dressed  individual,  who 
scratches  his  nose  with  a  bright  yellow  glove,  and  runs 
into  everybody  ?  Do  you  know  him  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Nor  I." 

"  Nor  I." 

"  Wait ;  Minoret  must  know  him ;  he  bet  on  Minoret's 
hand." 

And  a  young  man  went  up  to  Minoret,  who  had  also 
entered  the  ballroom,  and  said  to  him : 

"  My  dear  Minoret,  tell  me  who  that  extraordinary 
person  in  the  Scotch  trousers  is,  who  bet  twenty  francs 
on  you  just  now?  " 

"Who?  that  tall  man  with  the  red  face,  holding  his 
left  hand  in  the  air?" 

"Yes." 

"  I  don't  know  him  at  all." 

"  But  he  called  you  by  name  when  he  bet." 

"  I  don't  know  whether  he  knows  me,  or  not,  but  I 
don't  know  him." 

"  That's  strange.  He  acts  as  if  he  were  a  little  tipsy. 
We  must  find  out  who  he  is.  Ah !  there's  Armand, 
one  of  the  groomsmen.  I  say,  Armand,  come  here  a 


THE  BLANQUETTE    WEDDING  BALL  97 

moment ;  tell  us  who  that  man  is,  whose  costume  is  so 
unconventional  for  a  wedding  party  ?  " 

"  The  gentleman  in  a  frock-coat,  who  runs  into  every- 
body ?  " 

"  The  same." 

"I  have  just  asked  the  bride,  and  she  doesn't  know 
him  either." 

"  And  the  groom  ?  " 

"  He  is  dancing.  But  there's  his  uncle,  Monsieur 
Blanquette ;  I'll  go  and  ask  him  about  the  fellow ;  and 
if  nobody  knows  him,  we'll  soon  show  him  the  door, 
I  promise  you." 

But  before  the  groomsman  could  reach  the  bride- 
groom's uncle,  Cherami,  who  had  spied  the  linen-draper, 
hastened  to  meet  him,  and  said,  tapping  him  on  the 
stomach : 

"  Here  I  am,  my  dear  friend !  You  didn't  ask  me  to 
your  party,  but  I  said  to  myself:  '  I'll  go  all  the  same, 
because,  with  old  acquaintances,  one  shouldn't  take 
offence  at  trifles.' — Then  what  did  I  do  ? — I  dined  here, 
in  a  private  room  on  the  first  floor,  and  dined  magnifi- 
cently, too,  I  flatter  myself!  and  then  I  came  up  to  say 
bonsoir  to  you,  and  to  salute  the  bride — and  to  dance 
with  anybody,  I  don't  care  who  !  I'm  an  obliging  person, 
you  see. — So  there  you  are,  my  dear  Papa  Blanquette. 
Old  friends  are  always  on  hand,  as  the  song  says." 

Monsieur  Blanquette  was  surprised  beyond  words  to 
find  himself  confronted  by  the  gentleman  whom  he  had 
met  in  the  afternoon,  when  he  alighted  from  his  carriage. 
He  did  not  seem  overjoyed  to  see  him  at  the  ball ;  but 
as  he  did  not  desire  his  nephew's  wedding  party  to  be 
disturbed  by  any  unpleasant  scene,  he  strove  to  conceal 
his  annoyance,  and  rejoined : 


98  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Faith,  Monsieur  Cherami,  I  didn't  expect  to  see  you 
again !  So  you  dined  at  this  restaurant,  did  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  estimable  friend ;  and  dined  deliciously,  too, 
I  beg  you  to  believe." 

"  So  I  perceive !  " 

"  What !  so  you  perceive !  and  by  what  do  you  per- 
ceive it,  I  pray  to  know  ?  " 

"Why,  because  you  seem  to  be  much  inclined — to 
laugh." 

"  I  am  always  cheerful  when  I  am  among  my  friends. 
That's  my  nature,  you  know.  Pray  present  me  to  the 
bride." 

"  But,  excuse  me — it  seems  to  me  that  you  are  hardly 
in  ball  dress — and  the  ladies  are  rather  particular  about 
that." 

"  If  you'd  invited  me,  I'd  have  come  in  full  dress ;  you 
didn't  invite  me,  so  I  came  as  a  neighbor.  All  is  for  the 
best,  as  Doctor  Pangloss  says.  Present  me  to  your  niece." 

"  Later ;  they  are  going  to  dance  now ;  you  see  they 
are  forming  a  quadrille.  Let  us  go  into  another  room." 

"  They  are  going  to  dance,  eh  ?  Then  I'll  not  go, 
deuce  take  me !  for  I  can  dance,  you  know.  I  used  to 
be  one  of  the  best  of  La  Chaumiere's  pupils,  and  she 
was  a  pupil  of  Chicard.  People  fought  for  places  to  see 
me  dance  the  Tulipe  Orageuse.  I  propose  to  show  you 
that  I  haven't  forgotten  it  all." 

Thereupon  the  ex-beau,  leaving  Monsieur  Blanquette, 
walked  toward  the  benches  on  which  the  ladies  were 
seated,  and  offered  his  gloved  hand  to  one  of  the  younger 
ones,  saying : 

"  Will  you  do  me  the  honor,  lovely  coryphee,  to  accept 
my  hand  for  this  contra-dance  ?  " 

"  I  am  engaged,  monsieur." 


THE  BLANQUETTE    WEDDING  BALL  99 

Cherami  thereupon  addressed  the  same  request  to  one 
after  another,  varying  his  phrase  slightly ;  but  there  was 
no  variation  in  the  replies;  it  was  always  the  same 
formula : 

"  I  am  engaged." 

For  no  young  woman,  married  or  unmarried,  cared  to 
dance  with  a  person  so  red  of  face,  so  shabbily  dressed, 
smelling  so  strongly  of  rum,  and  with  his  right  hand 
always  behind  his  back. 

"  Sapristi  !  it  seems  that  all  the  ladies  have  been  en- 
gaged beforehand ! "  cried  Cherami,  glaring  at  the  benches 
in  turn ;  "  I  am  refused  all  along  the  line  !  " 

But  at  every  ball  there  is  sure  to  be  some  elderly 
woman,  ugly,  dowdily  dressed,  who  still  has  the  assur- 
ance to  take  her  place  among  the  dancers.  Our  Arthur 
finally  espied  a  lady  of  that  type,  sitting  in  a  corner;  on 
her  head  was  a  sort  of  turban,  laden  with  an  appalling 
mass  of  flowers,  feathers,  and  lace. 

"  I  shall  be  unlucky  indeed,  if  this  creature  is  en- 
gaged ! "  said  Cherami  to  himself,  boldly  directing  his 
steps  toward  the  turbahed  dame. 

He  had  not  delivered  half  of  his  invitation,  when  she 
rose  as  if  impelled  by  a  spring,  and  seized  his  gloved 
hand,  saying : 

"  With  pleasure ;  yes,  monsieur ;  I  accept.  Oh  !  I  will 
dance  as  long  as  you  please." 

"  In  that  case,  fair  lady,  let  us  take  our  places." 

Almost  all  the  sets  were  full.  But  Cherami  was  not  to 
be  denied ;  he  planted  himself  in  front  of  a  short  youth 
and  his  partner;  and  when  the  youth  remonstrated :  "But, 
monsieur,  this  place  is  taken,  we  were  here  before  you," 
he  replied,  in  a  supercilious  tone  :  "  I  don't  know  whether 
you  were  before  us,  my  good  man  ;  but  I  do  know  that  I 


loo  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

have  the  honor  to  be  here  now  with  madame,  and  that 
I  will  not  stir  except  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet !  " 

The  young  man  dared  not  make  any  further  resistance  ; 
moreover,  the  guests  were  whispering  to  one  another  on 
all  sides: 

"  That  original  is  dancing  with  Aunt  Merlin  !  " 

"  What !     Aunt  Merlin  dancing  ?  " 

"  Yes,  with  the  man  in  Scotch  trousers.  This  is  going 
to  be  great  fun  !  " 

And  all  those  who  were  not  dancing  ran  to  watch  the 
set  in  which  Cherami  and  Aunt  Merlin  were  to  figure. 

"Sapristi !  I  have  lost  one  of  my  gloves ! "  cried  Arthur, 
making  a  pretence  of  feeling  in  his  pocket,  and  looking 
on  the  floor.  "  Will  you  pardon  me,  fair  lady,  for  dancing 
with  a  single  glove  ?  " 

"  Oh !  certainly,  monsieur,"  replied  the  lady  with  the 
turban,  in  a  simpering  tone ;  "  you  are  forgiven ;  indeed, 
the  same  thing  happened  to  Monsieur  Courbichon ;  when 
he  arrived  here  for  the  ball,  he  discovered  that  he  had  lost 
one  of  his  gloves — only  it  was  the  left  one,  in  his  case." 

"  Ah !  that's  very  amusing !  Then  we  have  the  pair 
between  us !  I  shall  laugh  a  long  while  over  that.  It's 
our  turn,  fair  lady." 

The  first  figure  passed  off  quietly  enough,  as  the  Eng- 
lish chain  and  the  cat's  tail  gave  Cherami  no  chance  to 
display  his  talent ;  but  in  the  second,  in  the  avant-deux, 
he  began  to  take  steps  and  attitudes  of  the  cancan  in  its 
purest  and  most  unblushing  form.  The  men  laughed  till 
they  cried,  and  the  women  as  well,  murmuring : 

"  Why,  this  is  frightful !  where  does  that  fellow  think 
he  is,  for  heaven's  sake  ?  " 

The  most  amusing  feature  of  the  episode  was  that 
Cherami's  partner,  spurred  on  by  the  strange  evolutions 


THE  BLANQUETTE    WEDDING  BALL  101 

and  the  eccentric  steps  of  her  cavalier,  thought  that  she 
ought  to  do  as  he  did,  and  began  to  twist  and  turn,  and 
throw  her  legs  to  right  and  left,  with  an  ardor  which  kept 
all  the  flowers  on  her  turban  in  commotion. 

The  laughter  became  more  uproarious. 

"  I  venture  to  believe  that  we  are  producing  some 
effect,"  said  Cherami  to  his  partner ;  "  but  I  am  not  sur- 
prised ;  whenever  I  dance,  the  people  crowd  to  watch  me." 

Meanwhile,  from  one  end  of  the  room  to  the  other,  the 
guests  were  saying : 

"  The  man  in  the  plaid  trousers  is  dancing  the  cancan 
with  Aunt  Merlin ;  it's  most  amusing !  " 

Some  of  the  couples  ceased  dancing,  in  order  to  watch 
the  performance  of  Aunt  Merlin  and  her  partner.  The 
uproar  soon  reached  the  ears  of  Monsieur  Blanquette, 
the  uncle ;  the  bride's  mother,  a  most  respectable  woman, 
said  to  him : 

"  I  beg  you,  Monsieur  Blanquette,  go  and  tell  my  sister 
not  to  dance  the  cancan.  Everybody  here  is  laughing  at 
her,  and  she  doesn't  notice  it.  Oh !  what  a  mistake  you 
made  in  inviting  that  tall  man  with  the  red  face ! " 

"  Mon  Dieu !  madame,  I  assure  you  that  I  didn't  in- 
vite him.  He's  a  man  who  owes  me  money — whom  I 
knew  when  he  was  rich  and  well-dressed. — He  has  ruined 
himself  completely.  He  caught  sight  of  me  this  morning, 
when  we  were  getting  out  of  the  carriages ;  and  to-night 
he  takes  the  liberty  of  coming  to  our  ball.  I  didn't  dare 
tell  him  to  leave — because,  you  understand,  that's  an 
embarrassing  thing  to  do.  But  if  he  presumes  to  dance 
indecently — why,  then  I  shan't  hesitate." 

Monsieur  Blanquette  walked  toward  the  quadrille 
which  caused  such  a  prodigious  sensation.  Cherami  was 
in  the  act  of  executing  the  chaloupe  with  his  partner,  who 


102  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

continued  to  second  him  as  best  she  could.  The  bride- 
groom's uncle  sidled  up  behind  her,  and  said  in  an 
undertone : 

"  Don't  dance  like  that,  Madame  Merlin,  I  beg  you ; 
that's  the  way  they  dance  at  low  dance-halls.  Decent 
people  don't  make  such  exhibitions  of  themselves  in  a 
salon." 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  I  am  dancing  very  well,  mon- 
sieur," replied  Aunt  Merlin,  sourly ;  "  and  the  way  the 
people  crowd  to  watch  us  proves  it." 

"  I  assure  you,  Madame  Merlin,  that  it  isn't  proper, 
and  your  sister  is  much  annoyed." 

"  My  sister's  annoyed  because  she's  got  beyond  dancing. 
Let  her  leave  me  alone !  I  propose  to  dance,  I  tell  you ! " 

"  What  is  it,  my  nymph,  eh  ?  "  cried  Cherami ;  "  what 
did  old  Pere  Blanquette  say  to  you  ?  " 

"  He  declares  that  our  dance  isn't  proper." 

"Ah!  that's  very  fine!  What  box  has  he  just  come 
out  of,  to  be  shocked  at  our  dance  ?  Doesn't  he  go  to 
the  play,  I  wonder?  Hasn't  he  ever  seen  the  Spanish 
dancers  ?  They've  been  at  almost  all  the  theatres.  Ah ! 
bigre  !  if  he'd  seen  those  females  do  their  fandangos, 
their  iotas,  and  their  boleros,  and  indulge  in  all  sorts  of 
antics,  showing  their  legs,  yes,  and  their  garters  too! 
that's  much  worse  than  the  cancan.  But  that  doesn't 
prevent  those  Spaniards  from  drawing  the  crowd,  wher- 
ever they  are.  And  you  don't  like  it,  because  I  dance 
the  cancan,  and  yet  you  rush  to  see  licentious  dances 
performed  by  women  whose  costumes  add  to  the  effect 
of  their  dancing !  Sapristi !  for  God's  sake,  try  to  make 
up  your  mind  what  you  want ! — Our  turn,  my  Terpsi- 
chore ;  attention  !  this  is  the  pastourelle,  and  I  am  saving 
a  little  surprise  for  you  in  the  cavalier  seul" 


THE  BLANQUETTE    WEDDING  BALL  103 

Aunt  Merlin  darted  off  like  an  arrow,  paying  no  heed 
to  the  remonstrances  of  Pere  Blanquette,  who  heaved 
sigh  upon  sigh  when  he  saw  how  easy  it  is  to  lead  a 
woman  on  to  make  a  fool  of  herself,  even  when  her 
age  should  make  her  sensible.  But  the  time  came  for 
Cherami  to  perform  the  cavalier  seul ;  excited  by  all 
that  he  had  drunk,  and  recalling  the  feats  of  his  younger 
days,  he  performed  the  evolution  called  the  araignee, 
which  consists  in  throwing  yourself  flat  on  your  stomach 
in  front  of  the  opposite  couple.  This  bit  of  gymnastics 
was  greeted  with  frantic  laughter;  and  Aunt  Merlin, 
turning  to  Papa  Blanquette,  cried: 

"  What  do  you  say  to  that  ?  Could  you  do  as 
much  ?  " 

"  No,  certainly  not,  madame ;  and  I  wouldn't  try," 
retorted  the  uncle ;  "  but  I  consider  it  very  presump- 
tuous. Your  partner  must  have  the  devil  in  him,  to  do 
such  crazy  things !  " 

Aunt  Merlin  had  ceased  to  listen ;  the  last  figure 
had  arrived,  that  in  which  the  galop  is  the  leading  fea- 
ture; and  said  Cherami,  as  he  put  his  arm  about  her 
waist : 

"  We'll  j  ust  show  the  others  how  to  galop.  Fichtre  ! 
they'd  better  look  out  for  themselves.  They  ran  into 
me  when  they  were  waltzing,  but  we'll  pay  them  back 
in  their  own  coin." 

With  that,  he  started  off  with  his  partner,  whirling  her 
about  as  they  danced.  Beau  Arthur  had  been  one  of 
the  most  notable  performers  in  the  formidable  galops 
which  are  a  feature  of  the  masked  balls  at  the  Opera. 
The  punch  renewed  the  vigor  of  his  youth.  Throw- 
ing himself  headlong  into  the  midst  of  the  assemblage, 
dancers  and  onlookers,  he  rushed  through  the  room  like 


104  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

a  whirlwind  or  an  avalanche,  hurling  this  one  aside,  col- 
liding with  that  one,  and  sowing  confusion  everywhere. 
In  vain  did  they  shout  to  him : 

"Stop,  monsieur;  stop  at  once!  you're  throwing  the 
ladies  down ! " 

Cherami  kept  on ;  not  until  Aunt  Merlin's  turban  fell, 
would  he  consent  to  deposit  her  upon  a  bench,  with  her 
eyes  starting  from  her  head.  But  at  that  moment  sev- 
eral gentlemen,  boiling  over  with  wrath,  surrounded  the 
terrible  galoper. 

"  Monsieur,  you  threw  my  partner  down ! " 
"  Monsieur,  you  have  crushed  my  daughter's  nose  !  " 
"  Monsieur,  you  upset  my  wife ;   when  she   fell,  her 
elastic  skirt  sprang  up  over  her  head,  so  that  everybody 
could  see — what  I  alone  have  the  right  to  see  !  " 
"  Monsieur,  you  must  give  me  satisfaction !  " 
"  Monsieur,  you  haven't  seen  the  end  of  this !  " 
While  he  was  thus  apostrophized  on  all  sides,  Cherami 
calmly  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his  face,  and  said : 

"  Sapristi !  what's  the  matter  with  them  all  ?  They 
are  delightful ! — I  consider  that  you're  a  delightful  lot ! 
You  ought  to  have  got  out  of  the  way ;  that's  what  I 
did,  when  you  ran  into  me  while  you  were  waltzing  just 
now.  Is  it  my  fault,  if  you  don't  know  how  to  keep 
on  your  legs  ?  What  a  terrible  thing,  if  your  estimable 
daughter's  nose  is  a  little  bruised ;  and  if  your  wife,  mon- 
sieur, did  show  some  admirable  things !  It  seems  to 
me  that  you  ought  to  be  flattered  by  the  accident,  for 
everybody  must  envy  your  good  fortune." 

These  retorts  were  far  from  appeasing  the  wrath  of 
the  husbands,  brothers,  and  fathers  who  had  been  mal- 
treated in  the  persons  of  the  objects  of  their  affections. 
But  Uncle  Blanquette  forced  his  way  through  the  crowd, 


THE  BLANQUETTE    WEDDING  BALL  105 

and  said  to  him  who  had  caused  all  the  confusion,  assum- 
ing a  tone  which  he  strove  to  make  dignified : 

"  Monsieur,  you  have  caused  a  grave  perturbation  at 
my  nephew's  wedding  party " 

"  Ha !  ha !  perturbation  is  a  pretty  word ;  I  must  re- 
member it.  Never  mind ;  proceed,  Papa  Blanquette." 

"  People  in  our  society  do  not  indulge  in  such  improper 
dances  as  those  you  have  performed,  monsieur." 

"  But,  if  I  remember  right,  Aunt  Merlin  seemed  to 
enjoy  that  dance  pretty  well." 

"  I  didn't  invite  you  to  our  ball,  monsieur ;  so  I  con- 
sider it  much  too — much  too " 

"  Presumptuous ! — you  can't  find  the  word,  but  that's 
it,  I  fancy ;  eh  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  too  presumptuous,  to  appear  where 
you're  not  invited,  and  especially  in  a  costume  so  negligee 
as  yours.  You  have  thrown  down  enough  persons ;  we 
don't  care  to  have  any  more  of  it,  and  I  beg  you  to  go." 

"  Ah  !  that's  your  idea  of  politeness,  is  it  ?  Very  good ! 
bonsoir !  I  will  go  !  Your  party  isn't  so  very  fine,  after 
all ;  I  haven't  seen  a  single  glass  of  punch.  And  you 
fancy  that  you  do  things  in  style,  do  you  ?  No,  no ! 
you're  a  long  way  behind  the  times  !  " 

"  Be  good  enough  to  remember  also,  monsieur,  that 
you  owe  me  four  hundred  and  ninety-five  francs;  and, 
if  you  don't  quit,  I  will  take  harsh  measures " 

"  Bravo  !  I  expected  that — that's  the  bouquet !  The 
idea  of  talking  about  your  account  at  a  ball !  Look 
you,  old  Blanquette :  you  make  me  sick !  Adieu,  Rome, 
I  go  ! — Mesdames,  I  lay  my  homage  at  your  feet.  I  am 
sorry  to  have  jostled  you  a  little ;  but,  on  my  word  of 
honor,  it  was  the  fault  of  your  partners ;  they  didn't 
know  how  to  hold  you." 


106  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

This  fresh  insult  to  the  male  portion  of  the  guests 
renewed  their  wrath,  and  they  threatened  to  attack 
Cherami.  He  removed  his  yellow  glove  and  threw  it 
at  their  feet,  saying : 

"  Here,  this  is  all  I  can  do  for  you  !  I  expect  you 
all  to-morrow  morning.  My  friend  Blanquette*  of  veal 
will  give  you  my  address.  Bring  pistols,  sabres,  swords, 
what  you  please.  I  shall  have  nothing  but  a  rabbit's  tail, 
understand,  and  with  that  rabbit's  tail  I  defy  you  all !  " 

This  heroic  challenge  seemed  to  calm  the  wrath  of 
his  adversaries  to  some  extent.  But,  while  they  were 
staring  at  one  another,  a  little,  bald  man  darted  forward 
and  picked  up  the  glove. 

"  That's  my  glove,"  he  cried  ;  "  I  recognize  it ;  it's  the 
left-hand  glove  that  I  lost;  it  has  been  mended  on 
the  thumb ;  this  is  the  very  one ! " 

Cherami  did  not  hear  Monsieur  Courbichon.  He  left 
the  ballroom,  passed  rapidly  through  the  cardroom,  and, 
taking  a  hat  from  a  nail  and  a  cane  from  a  corner,  left 
the  last  of  the  rooms  and  descended  the  stairs,  saying  to 
himself: 

"  I  snap  my  fingers  at  them.  I'm  not  sorry  I  went  to 
that  party.  I  have  my  cue !  " 

And  Cherami  patted  the  pocket  in  which  were  the  gold 
pieces  he  had  won  at  ecarte. 

At  the  foot  of  the  staircase,  he  saw  several  ladies 
standing,  waiting  for  their  carriages ;  they  were  guests 
of  the  party  on  the  first  floor,  just  leaving  the  ball.  In  a 
moment,  another  young  couple  appeared,  and  one  of  the 
ladies  said  to  another : 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  the  bride  going  away  already?  " 

"  Yes,  I  believe  she  doesn't  feel  very  well." 

*  Blanquette,  in  its  culinary  acceptation,  signifies  a  "ragout." 


THE  BLANQUETTE    WEDDING  BALL  107 

"  Aha !  that's  the  bride,  who  goes  so  early  ! "  cried 
Cherami,  putting  his  head  forward.  "  Yes !  it's  she !  it's 
the  faithless  Fanny !  I  recognize  her." 

These  words  were  hardly  out  of  his  mouth,  when  the 
husband,  who  had  his  wife  on  his  arm,  left  her  abruptly, 
looked  about,  and  rushed  up  to  Cherami,  to  whom  he 
said  in  a  voice  that  trembled  with  emotion : 

"  Was  it  you  who  just  spoke,  monsieur?  " 

"  What's  that !  Suppose  it  was  ?  Well,  yes,  I  did  speak. 
Do  you  mean  to  say  that  it  isn't  my  right  ?  " 

"  Was  it  you  who  said  :  '  It's  the  faithless  Fanny '  ?  " 

"  Yes,  pardieu  !  it  was.     Oh  !  I  never  deny  my  words." 

"  This  is  neither  the  time  nor  the  place  for  an  explana- 
tion, monsieur ;  but  I  will  call  on  you  to-morrow,  and,  if 
you're  not  a  coward,  you  will  give  me  satisfaction." 

"  I,  a  coward !  Arthur  Cherami,  a  coward !  Well, 
well !  that's  a  good  one !  And  I  have  just  challenged 
the  whole  Blanquette  wedding  party !  I  am  always  ready 
to  fight  with  whatever  anyone  chooses — from  a  pin  to  a 
cannon,  I'm  your  man  !  " 

"  We  will  see  about  that  to-morrow.    Your  address  ?  " 

"  There  it  is.  I  always  carry  a  card  about  me  with  a 
view  to  affairs  of  this  sort." 

Monleard  took  the  soiled  yellow  card  which  Cherami 
drew  from  his  pocket,  and  hastened  after  his  wife,  who 
was  already  in  the  carriage.  This  little  scene  had  taken 
place  so  rapidly  that  the  persons  who  were  standing  had 
been  able  to  catch  only  a  few  words. 

The  carriage  which  contained  the  newly  married  pair 
drove  away.  Cherami  looked  about  for  a  cab,  and  having 
finally  found  one,  jumped  in,  and  called  out  to  the  driver: 

"  Rue  de  1'Orillon,  Barriere  de  Belleville.  I  will  tell  you 
when  we  reach  my  hotel." — Then  he  stretched  himself 


108  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

out  comfortably  on  the  back  seat,  with  his  feet  on  the 
other,  murmuring :  "  The  day  has  been  complete.  An 
excellent  dinner,  punch,  cards,  a  ball,  and  a  duel !  And 
this  morning  I  hadn't  the  wherewithal  to  buy  a  small 
loaf!  In  my  place,  a  fool  would  have  jumped  into  the 
water.  But,  with  clever  people,  there  is  always  some 
resource." 


XVII 

FURNISHED  LODGINGS  ON  RUE  DE  L'ORILLON 

Rue  de  1'Orillon,  which  is  outside  the  barrier,  near  the 
Belleville  theatre,  bears  not  the  slightest  resemblance 
to  Rue  de  Rivoli,  or  to  Rue  de  la  Paix.  There  is  much 
mud  there  at  almost  all  seasons,  and  there  are  very  few 
shops  of  the  Magasin  du  Prophete  variety;  indeed,  I 
think  that  I  can  safely  say  that  there  are  none. 

It  was  in  a  wretched  furnished  lodging  on  this  street 
outside  the  walls  that  the  ci-devant  Beau  Arthur,  who 
had  once  dwelt  in  the  fashionable  precincts  of  the 
Champs-Elysees  and  the  Chaussee  d'Antin,  had  been 
compelled  to  take  up  his  abode.  He  did  not  often  pay 
his  rent;  however,  on  the  day  when  he  received  his 
quarterly  stipend,  he  sometimes  persuaded  himself  to 
give  two  or  three  five-franc  pieces  to  his  landlady,  and 
she  waited  patiently  for  her  arrears,  because  she  was 
proud  to  furnish  lodgings  to  a  man  who  had  once  had 
thirty-five  thousand  francs  a  year,  and  who  still  retained 
a  trace  of  his  former  social  position  in  his  manners  and 
his  language. 


LODGINGS   ON  RUE  DE  V ORILLON  109 

The  room  occupied  by  Cherami  was  not  furnished  like 
the  apartments  of  the  Hotel  du  Louvre.  A  blue  wall- 
paper, at  thirteen  sous  a  roll,  took  the  place  of  hangings ; 
but  this  paper,  already  old,  was  torn  in  several  places, 
and  the  breaches  were  concealed  by  scraps  of  paper  of 
a  different  design,  and,  in  many  instances,  of  a  different 
color,  which  gave  to  the  room  a  sort  of  Harlequin  aspect 
which  was  not  altogether  disagreeable — especially  to 
those  persons  who  like  that  costume.  Now,  Harlequins 
are  very  popular  in  Rue  de  rOrillon. 

A  miserable  cot-bed,  surmounted  by  a  rod  which  had 
never  been  gilded,  and  over  which  was  thrown  a  cur- 
tain of  yellow  cloth  much  too  narrow  to  surround  the 
bed,  stood  opposite  the  window.  At  the  foot  of  the  bed 
was  a  screen  four  feet  high,  which  was  supposed  to  be 
a  protection  against  the  wind  that  came  in  under  the 
ill-fitted  door.  A  Louis  XVI  commode,  an  old  Louis  XV 
armchair,  and  a  desk  which  claimed  to  be  Louis  XIII, 
with  a  few  common  chairs,  were  all  the  furniture  that 
the  apartment  contained.  On  the  mantel  were  two 
kitchen  candlesticks,  a  small  box  of  matches,  and  sev- 
eral cigar-butts,  but  not  a  single  pipe :  Arthur  would 
have  deemed  himself  a  dishonored  man  if  he  had  put  a 
pipe  to  his  lips. 

It  was  noon,  and  Cherami  lay  on  his  bed,  having  just 
waked  up.  He  stretched  his  arms,  rubbed  his  eyes,  and, 
glancing  at  the  window,  said  to  himself: 

"  On  my  word,  I  believe  I've  had  quite  a  nap  !  Yes, 
if  I  can  judge  by  the  sun,  which  is  shining  in  at  my 
window,  the  morning  must  be  well  advanced.  It  is  often 
unpleasant  not  to  have  a  watch ;  but,  at  all  events,  in  a 
furnished  lodging-house  there  should  be  a  clock  on  each 
mantel.  That  villainous  Madame  Louchard,  my  landlady, 


HO  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

promises  me  every  month  that  indispensable  complement 
of  my  furniture,  and  I  am  like  Sister  Anne,  I  see  nothing 
coming.  Par  la  sambleu!  as  they  say  in  Marivaux's 
plays,  the  rest  has  done  me  good,  for  yesterday  was  a 
tiresome  day !  But  it  seems  to  me  that  I  had  at  least 
a  dozen  duels  on  hand  for  this  morning ;  the  deuce !  and 
I  don't  know  what  time  it  is." 

Thereupon  Cherami  began  to  knock  loudly  on  the 
thin  partition  beside  his  bed,  shouting  at  the  top  of  his 
voice : 

"  Madame  Louchard  !  I  say  there !  Goddess  of  Cy- 
thera !  Landlady  of  the  Loves !  Venus  of  La  Cour- 
tille !  hasten  hither,  I  beseech  thee. — Come,  lady  fair ;  I 
await  thee  !  I  await  thee  ! — Damnation  !  start  your  boots, 
will  you ! " 

After  some  five  minutes,  heavy  footsteps  were  heard  in 
the  corridor,  and  a  tall  woman,  thin  as  a  lath,  whose  flat 
hips  indicated  a  most  profound  contempt  for  every  sort 
of  hoop-skirt,  entered  the  room  occupied  by  Cherami. 
This  woman  had  a  huge  nose,  huge  mouth,  huge  teeth, 
huge  ears,  and  feet  and  hands  to  correspond.  A  child 
who  had  heard  the  tale  of  Little  Red  Riding  Hood 
would  inevitably  have  been  afraid  of  her,  mistaking  her 
for  the  wolf  disguised  as  the  grandmother. 

To  complete  the  portrait,  we  may  add  that  Madame 
Louchard  had  a  yellow  complexion,  bleared  eyes,  and  a 
nose  always  smeared  with  snuff;  that  her  costume  con- 
sisted of  a  long  dressing-gown,  shaped  like  an  umbrella 
case  (a  reminder  of  the  style  in  vogue  under  the  Direc- 
tory); and,  finally,  that  her  head-dress  was  a  white  cap, 
around  which  was  tied  a  colored  cotton  handkerchief. 

"  Well !  what's  the  matter  ?  What  are  you  shouting 
and  hammering  for?  Couldn't  you  get  up,  Monsieur 


LODGINGS   ON  RUE  DE  L' ORILLON  m 

Lazy-bones?  I  should  think  it  had  been  light  long 
enough." 

Such  was  this  lady's  way  of  bidding  her  tenant  good- 
morning. 

"  You  are  right  as  to  that  point,  Queen  of  Cythera," 
replied  Cherami,  half  rising. 

"  God  forgive  me !  I  believe  he  intends  to  get  up 
before  me !  Was  that  why  you  called  me — to  let  me 
see  that  sight  ?  That  strikes  me  as  a  strange  kind  of 
joke ! " 

"  Nay,  nay,  virtuous  Louchard ;  I'  will  not  rise  in  your 
presence.  I  know  the  rigidity  of  your  morals,  and  I 
respect  them !  I  know  that  with  you  Richelieu  and 
Buckingham  would  have  wasted  their  time." 

"  I  don't  know  those  gentlemen,  but  it  would  be  just 
the  same  with  them  as  with  others !  I  have  told  you  a 
hundred  times  that,  since  my  husband's  death,  the  late 
Louchard,  men  are  nothing  to  me !  " 

"  It  would  seem  that  the  late  Louchard  was  a  phoenix, 
a  jewel,  the  very  pearl  of  husbands  ?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  he  had  a  lot  of  hidden  drawbacks, 
and  he  was  always  drunk.  That's  what  made  me  take  a 
dislike  to  your  sex,  in  the  matter  of  love." 

"  Very  good !  I  agree  with  you,  on  my  honor.  I  think 
you  did  well  to  adopt  that  course." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  it  makes  you  resemble  Dido.  But  let  us 
change  the  subject ;  tell  me  quickly  what  time  it  is." 

"  Dame  f  it's  a  good  half-hour — yes,  at  least  half  an 
hour — since  I  heard  the  clock  strike  twelve." 

"Then  say  at  once  that  it's  half-past  twelve.  Bigre! 
I  have  been  lazy,  and  no  mistake ;  but  when  I  came  in 
last  night,  it  was  two  o'clock  in  the  morning." 


112  MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 

"  No  earlier ;  and  you  woke  me  up,  too ;  you  always 
make  such  a  noise  on  the  stairs !  " 

"At  all  events,  I  didn't  wake  your  concierge,  as  you 
haven't  one." 

"  What's  the  good  of  a  concierge  ? — Everybody  knows 
the  secret  of  the  passageway,  and  they  can  come  in 
when  they  choose." 

"  And  by  feeling  their  way,  which  is  often  very  im- 
prudent." 

"  But  I  believe  you  rode  home  last  night.  Do  the 
omnibuses  run  as  late  as  that  nowadays  ? " 

"  Omnibuses !  Understand,  Widow  Louchard,  that 
when  I  come  home  after  midnight,  I  always  come  in  a 
coupe  or  a  cab." 

"  Peste !  so  the  funds  have  gone  up,  have  they  ?  You'd 
better  give  me  something  on  account." 

"  Don't  bother  me !     I  gave  you  ten  francs." 

"  That  was  two  months  ago." 

"  That's  not  the  question.  Has  anybody  called  to  see 
me  this  morning  ?  " 

"  No,  not  a  cat." 

"  Not  a  cat !     Oh  !  the  cowards  ! " 

"  Why  do  you  say  that  cats  are  cowards  ?  Mine  would 
fight  a  bulldog." 

"  I'm  not  talking  about  your  cat,  Widow  Louchard ; 
but  about  a  lot  of  braggarts,  all  of  whom  challenged  me 
yesterday,  and  who  don't  dare  to  call  on  me  to-day." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  wanted  to  fight  again, 
pray  ?  Good  God !  is  it  a  disease  with  you  ?  It  isn't 
so  very  long  since  you  were  cured  of  that  bullet  in 
your  side." 

"  Bah  !  a  trifle,  a  scratch.  I  am  not  quarrelsome  ;  but 
when  a  man  seems  to  look  askance  at  me,  that  irritates 


LODGINGS  ON  RUE  DE  Z' ORILLON  113 

me.  After  all,  I  am  not  particular  about  seeing  those 
walking  rushlights  of  the  Blanquette  wedding  party. 
But  there  was  another  man ;  if  he  doesn't  come,  I  shall 
be  surprised.  However,  it's  not  too  late  yet;  he  was 
only  married  yesterday,  and  a  man  doesn't  get  up  very 
early  on  the  day  after  his  wedding." 

"  What !  you  expect  to  fight  with  someone  who  was 
married  yesterday?" 

"  Why  not  ?  We  marry,  we  fight,  we  kill — or  are 
killed  !  Such  is  life,  lovely  Artemisia ! " 

"  What  makes  you  call  me  Artemisia  ?  that  isn't  my 
name." 

"  Because  she  was  a  widow  who  profoundly  regretted 
her  husband." 

"  But  I  have  never  regretted  mine  a  single  minute." 

"  That  makes  no  difference. — So  you  say  it's  half-past 
twelve  ?  Sapristi !  Madame  Louchard,  when  is  that  clock 
coming  that  you've  been  promising  me  so  long  ?  " 

"  I'm  waiting  for  a  good  chance.  I  want  something  to 
match  the  rest  of  the  furniture." 

"  In  that  case,  my  dear  friend,  as  I  have  here  a  so-called 
Louis  XIII  desk,  a  Louis  XV  armchair,  and  a  Louis  XVI 
commode,  it  seems  to  me  that  you  cannot  do  otherwise 
than  procure  a  Louis  XIV  clock,  to  fill  up  the  inter- 
regnum and  reestablish  the  continuity  of  the  dynasty." 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  I've  seen  lately  a  little  rococo  Pompadour 
one,  second-hand." 

"  Take  care !  you  don't  go  back  far  enough ;  I  didn't 
say  Pompadour,  which  would  land  you  in  the  middle  of 
Louis  XV's  reign !  I  said  Louis  XIV." 

"  Fourteenth  or  fifteenth  !  so  long  as  it  ain't  too  dear. 
— But  what's  all  this?  when  I  said  you  were  in  funds, 
I  wasn't  mistaken,  was  I  ?  You've  bought  a  new  hat ! 


II4  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

I  must  say,  you  did  well ;  for  yours  wouldn't  have  lasted 
out  a  storm." 

"  A  new  hat !  What  are  you  talking  about,  my  fair 
hostess  ?  I  have  thought  of  it  more  than  once,  but  I 
have  not  yet  carried  out  my  project." 

"  Why,  what's  this,  then  ?  " 

Madame  Louchard  took  a  hat  from  the  commode 
and  handed  it  to  Cherami,  who  stared  at  it  with  wide- 
open  eyes ;  for  the  hat  was  quite  new  and  of  a  stylish 
shape. 

"  What  the  devil !  is  that  my  hat  ?  That's  a  surprising 
thing;  it  has  changed,  much  to  its  advantage;  it  has 
grown  at  least  two  years  younger ;  and  it  fits  me,  par- 
dieu !  Yes,  it  fits  me  nicely;  it's  just  the  shape  of  my 
head." 

"  Of  course  you  bought  it  yesterday  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  no,  I  didn't  buy  it,  I  tell  you  again.  Ah !  I  see  : 
when  I  left  that  wedding  ball,  I  was  a  little  excited — a 
little  angry ;  I  seized  the  first  hat  that  came  under  my 
hand,  thinking  it  was  mine." 

"Well,  there's  no  denying  that  you've  got  a  lucky 
hand ;  you  haven't  lost  by  the  change." 

"  Oh !  dear  me,  such  mistakes  occ%r  so  often  at  balls 
and  evening  parties,  that,  frankly,  I  shall  not  demand 
mine  back." 

"  You  will  make  no  mistake ;  but  the  man  who  found 
your  hat  in  place  of  his — he  may  want  his  back." 

"  Very  well !  let  him  come ;  I  am  ready  for  him ;  I'll 
return  his  old  tile,  and  give  him  others  to  boot." 

"  Ah  !  but  that  isn't  all." 

"  What  else  is  there,  Widow  Louchard  ?  Can  it  be  that 
I  came  home  with  two  hats  ?  I  admit  that  that  would 
astonish  me." 


LODGINGS  ON  RUE  DE  L' ORILLON  115 

"  No,  it  isn't  a  hat  this  time ;  but  this  cane — this  isn't 
your  clothes-beater,  which  wasn't  worth  six  sous." 

Madame  Louchard  picked  up  a  cane  which  lay  in  a 
corner  of  the  room;  it  was  a  genuine  rattan,  with  an 
agate  head  surrounded  by  gold  rings,  and  cut  in  very 
peculiar  fashion.  She  showed  it  to  Cherami,  who  ex- 
claimed in  admiration: 

"  Oho  !  why,  that's  a  beauty  !  A  charming  cane,  ex- 
cellent style — not  too  heavy;  I  like  this  sort  of  cameo 
for  a  head  very  much." 

"  So  you  got  your  cane  the  same  way  you  did  your 
hat,  eh?" 

"  Pardieu  !  that  goes  without  saying.  It  stood  beside 
the  hat.  You  see,  I  had  placed  my  switch  beside  my 
beaver — so  the  joke  was  complete." 

"  Well,  you're  mighty  lucky  in  your  mistakes ;  that's 
sure.  This  cane  must  have  cost  a  lot  of  money." 

"  Oh  !  I  have  seen  much  finer  ones  than  this,  in  the  old 
days.  What  the  devil  are  you  looking  for  on  the  floor 
and  on  the  furniture,  Madame  Louchard  ?  " 

"  Dame !  I'm  looking  to  see  if  you  haven't  brought 
something  else  home,  by  mistake." 

Cherami  instantly  sat  up  in  bed,  crying : 

"  Thunder  of  Jupiter !  Widow  Louchard,  what  do  you 
take  me  for,  I'd  like  to  know  ?  Do  you  think  I'm  a  thief, 
a  pickpocket  ?  I  had  a  hat  and  a  cane,  and  on  leaving  a 
ball  I  took  a  hat  and  a  cane.  They're  not  the  ones  that 
belong  to  me ;  I  made  a  mistake,  I  was  in  error,  and 
that  may  happen  to  anybody — errare  humanum  est,  do 
you  understand?  No,  you  don't  understand  ;  never  mind. 
But  to  carry  away  anything  to  which  I  have  no  right — 
fie !  for  shame ! — To  prove  that  I  wouldn't  do  such  a 
thing — I  found  a  glove,  and  I  returned  it.  Let  me  tell 


Il6  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

you,  madame,  that  a  man  may  be  without  money,  have 
debts,  borrow  and  not  pay,  and  even  play  cards  on  his 
word — for  if  I  had  lost  last  night,  I  shouldn't  have  been 
able  to  pay  on  the  spot ;  but  all  those  things  don't  pre- 
vent one's  being  an  honest  man." 

"  Mon  Dieu  !.  Monsieur  Cherami,  I  don't  say  they  do ; 
you  go  off  all  of  a  sudden,  like  a  spitfire ! " 

"  Last  night,  I  confess,  I  had  dined  very  well.  I  wasn't 
drunk  ;  I  never  get  drunk ;  I  was  simply  a  little  confused, 
which  fully  explains  all  these  mistakes ;  and  now,  I  feel 
as  if  I  could  take  something." 

"  Would  you  like  to  have  me  make  you  a  nice  onion 
soup,  while  you're  getting  up  ?  There's  nothing  that'll 
set  you  up  better,  the  day  after  a  spree." 

"  Onion  soup !  I  do  not  disdain  that  dish ;  but  I 
am  tempted  to  look  higher,  and  I  believe  that  a  good 

chicken But  what's  all  that  noise?  I  should  say 

that  a  carriage  was  stopping  in  front  of  the  hotel !  Go 
and  look,  my  dear  hostess." 

Madame  Louchard  went  to  the  window. 

"  Yes,  it  is,"  she  said ;  "  a  handsome  private  cabriolet, 
with  a  fine  dapple-gray  horse,  and  a  groom  in  livery! 
And  there's  a  young  dandy  getting  out ;  he's  looking  at 
the  house ;  he's  coming  in  ;  it  must  be  for  me." 

"  For  you  ?  Oh !  no,  it's  for  me,  by  all  the  devils  !  It 
must  be  that  young  husband,  and  here  am  I  still  in  bed ! 
I  must  dress  at  the  double-quick." 

Cherami  jumped  out  of  his  bed,  in  his  nightshirt; 
whereupon  Madame  Louchard  instantly  took  flight, 
crying : 

"  I  don't  like  this  sort  of  thing,  Monsieur  Cherami ;  I 
told  you  not  to  get  up  before  me.  And  a  man  who 
don't  wear  drawers,  too  !  " 


A  DUEL    WITHOUT  WITNESSES  117 

"  Aha !  my  dear  hostess,  it  would  seem  that  you  risked 
a  glance !  Oh !  these  women !  they  are  all  descended 
from  Lot's  wife !  It's  a  pity  that  they're  not  changed  into 
salt  nowadays  at  every  indiscretion ;  that  would  make  a 
handsome  reduction  in  the  price  of  that  product ! " 


XVIII 

A  DUEL  WITHOUT  WITNESSES 

It  was,  in  fact,  Monsieur  Monleard  who  had  alighted 
from  the  cabriolet,  and,  having  scrutinized  the  exterior 
of  the  furnished  lodging-house,  had  ventured  into  the 
rather  gloomy  hall  of  that  establishment.  There  he 
looked  in  vain  for  the  concierge ;  but  the  proprietor 
often  served  in  that  capacity,  and  it  was  she  herself  who 
hastily  descended  the  stairs. 

"  Do  you  know  a  certain  Monsieur  Cherami  in  this 
house,  madame  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur;  indeed  I  know  him,  as  he's  my  tenant." 

"  Ah  !  very  good.  Would  you  kindly  direct  me  to 
his  room  ?  " 

"  Second  floor,  second  door  on  the  right." 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  shall  find  him  ?  " 

"Certainly,  monsieur;  for  I  just  left  him,  and  he  was 
just  going  to  get  up." 

"  Thanks  !  Pardon  me,  madame ;  a  word  or  two  more, 
if  you  please." 

"  As  many  as  you  want,  monsieur ;  I'm  in  no  hurry." 

"  I  would  be  glad,  madame,  to  obtain  some  informa- 
tion about  this  gentleman  :  to  know  who  he  is,  and  what 
he  does." 


Il8  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  Mon  Dieu !  it  won't  take  long  to  tell  you ;  he  don't 
do  anything,  he  lives  on  his  income ;  he's  a  man  who 
used  to  be  very  rich,  and  who  did  as  so  many  others 
do — ran  through  his  fortune  with  fast  women ;  now,  he's 
on  his  uppers ;  for  I  guess  the  income  isn't  very  heavy!  " 

"  Exceedingly  obliged,  madame." 

Monleard  left  Madame  Louchard,  and  went  up  to 
Cherami's  room.  That  worthy  was  dressing  behind  his 
screen ;  but  as  it  barely  reached  his  shoulders,  he  was 
perfectly  able  to  see  anybody  who  came  in,  and  could 
converse  over  the  leaves  of  the  article  of  furniture  which 
encompassed  him. 

"  Monsieur  Arthur  Cherami  ?  "  said  the  fashionably 
dressed  young  man  as  he  entered. 

"  Present !  here  I  am,  monsieur.  A  thousand  pardons 
for  not  being  dressed ;  but  it  will  take  me  only  a  minute. 
Pray  be  kind  enough  to  take  a  seat  while  you  wait." 

"  Thanks,  I  am  not  tired." 

"  Then,  remain  standing.  You  may  do  as  you  please. — 
Where  the  devil  did  I  put  my  false  collar  ?  " 

"You  divine  the  motive  of  my  visit,  monsieur,  I 
fancy  ?  " 

"What!  do  I  divine  it?  Why,  I  have  been  waiting 
for  you,  with  some  impatience.  But  I  said  to  myself: 
'  That  gentleman  will  not  come  veiy  early,  because,  on 

the  day  after  his  wedding '  Ha !  ha  !  I  don't  think 

I  need  say  any  more." 

"  It  has  occurred  to  me,  monsieur,  that  our  duel  might 
as  well  take  place  without  witnesses.  The  subject  of 
our  dispute  is  such  a  delicate  one !  There  are  some 
things  which  one  doesn't  like  to  make  a  noise  about; 
for  the  world,  which  is  unkind,  as  a  general  rule,  some- 
times makes  a  mountain  out  of  what  was " 


A   DUEL    WITHOUT  WITNESSES  119 

"  Only  a  mouse — parturiens  monies.  I  am  entirely  of 
your  opinion. — Ah !  I  have  my  collar." 

"  Then,  monsieur,  you  consent  to  fight  with  no  other 
witness  than  my  servant  ?  " 

"  Very  gladly ;  I  have  already  fought  that  way  more 
than  once." 

"Thinking  that  you  might  have  no  weapons,  mon- 
sieur, I  brought  two  swords  and  a  pair  of  pistols 
with  me." 

"  You  did  very  well ;  for,  as  you  foresaw,  I  am  with- 
out weapons  at  this  moment.  Ah !  I  used  to  have  some 
beautiful  ones  in  the  old  days !  My  pistols  were  made 
by  Devisme ;  I  could  bring  down  a  fly  at  fifty  yards ;  but 
I  had  to  let  them  go.  What  would  you  have?  Deus 
dederat,  Deus  abstulit. — I  will  just  put  on  my  coat,  and 
I  am  at  your  service." 

"  This  is  a  most  extraordinary  individual,"  said  Auguste 
Monleard  to  himself  as  he  listened. 

The  Latin  with  which  Cherami  sprinkled  his  discourse, 
and  his  air  of  good-breeding,  had  modified  the  opinion 
he  had  formed  of  him ;  and  he  was  not  sorry  to  learn 
that  he  was  not  about  to  fight  with  a  man  devoid  of 
breeding  and  education. 

At  last,  Arthur  came  out  from  behind  his  screen,  and 
saluted  his  adversary  with  all  the  ease  of  a  man  of  the 
world,  saying : 

"  Now  I  am  at  your  service." 

"  Very  good,  monsieur.  Doubtless  you  are  well  ac- 
quainted with  this  quarter,  this  neighborhood.  It  is 
entirely  unfamiliar  to  me.  Is  there  any  spot  hereabout 
where  we  can  fight  comfortably — without  having  to  travel 
a  couple  of  leagues  to  Vincennes  or  the  Bois  de  Bou- 
logne ?  " 


120  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Wait  a  moment,  while  I  think.  We  could  go  behind 
the  Buttes  Saint-Chaumont ;  there  are  some  quarries 
there,  where  no  one  would  see  us.  But  it's  rather  hard 
to  get  there  in  a  carriage;  and  then,  too,  the  ground's 
rather  uneven,  and  sometimes  there  are  some  low-lived 
rascals  prowling  about.  But,  pardieu !  we  have  just 
what  we  want,  close  at  hand.  In  the  next  street  there's 
a  large  vacant  lot,  on  which  they're  going  to  build, 
but  the  building  isn't  begun  yet.  No  one  ever  passes 
through  that  street ;  we  shall  be  as  retired  as  we  should 
be  in  our  own  house." 

"  But  can  we  get  into  the  lot  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed.  On  the  street  there's  nothing  but  a 
board  fence,  and  there's  a  gate  in  it.  If  there's  anyone 
there,  we'll  say  we  are  architects ;  that  will  make  it  all 
right." 

"And  it's  not  far  from  here  ?  " 

"  We  shall  be  there  in  five  minutes." 

"In  that  case,  monsieur,  let  us  go.  We  will  let  my 
cabriolet  follow  us." 

"  That's  right ;  and  as  we  must  avoid  making  a  noise 
and  attracting  attention,  we  will  fight  with  swords,  if  you 
choose." 

"  With  pleasure,  monsieur." 

Monleard  and  Cherami  went  down  the  stairs  together. 
Madame  Louchard,  who  was  standing  at  the  hall-door, 
was  very  much  puzzled  when  she  saw  her  tenant  leave  the 
house  with  the  fashionably  dressed  owner  of  the  cabriolet ; 
but  she  dared  not  ask  him  a  question.  Instead  of  turning 
toward  the  main  street  of  Belleville,  the  two  men  took  a 
street  which  ran  behind  the  theatre  of  that  suburb. 

Walking  side  by  side  with  the  individual  with  whom 
he  was  to  fight,  Monleard,  more  and  more  amazed  by 


A   DUEL    WITHOUT  WITNESSES  121 

his  adversary's  courteous  manners  and  by  his  use  of 
language  which  denoted  familiarity  with  good  society, 
said  to  him  after  a  while: 

"  We  are  going  to  fight  a  duel,  monsieur ;  that  is  a 
settled  thing,  which  neither  you  nor  I,  I  am  sure,  have 
any  intention  of  avoiding." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  monsieur." 

"  But,  before  the  duel  takes  place,  will  you  not  do  me 
the  favor  to  tell  me  where  you  knew  the  lady  whom 
I  have  married,  and  how  long  you  have  known  her  ?  " 

"  It  will  give  me  very  great  pleasure  to  answer  you.  I 
have  not  the  slightest  acquaintance  with  your  wife,  and 
I  never  saw  her  until  yesterday.  First,  when  she  alighted 
from  her  carriage  at  Deffieux's  restaurant;  and  again,  when 
you  were  taking  her  away  last  night,  and  I  met  you." 

"  But,  in  that  case,  monsieur,  how  do  you  explain  the 
words  you  uttered  :  '  There's  the  faithless  Fanny  '  ?  Was 
it  a  bet  ?  Was  it  an  insult  ? — And,  again,  how  did  you 
know  my  wife's  Christian  name,  since  you  did  not  know 
her?" 

"  Mon  Dieu !  my  dear  monsieur,  I  can  explain  it  all 
to  you  in  a  few  words,  and  you  will  say  that  events 
succeeded  one  another  naturally  enough.  When  your 
young  wife  alighted  from  her  carriage,  a  young  man — 
a  very  pretty  fellow,  on  my  word !  but  a  perfect  stranger 
to  me — was  standing  near  me,  in  front  of  the  restaurant. 
The  poor  fellow  really  made  my  heart  ache :  he  was 
in  the  depths  of  despair,  he  tore  his  hair — no,  he  didn't 
go  so  far  as  that ;  but,  what  was  worse,  he  insisted  on 
accosting  the  bride  and  making  a  scene.  I  remonstrated 
with  him,  I  prevented  his  doing  it,  and  made  him  see  that 
it  would  be  in  the  worst  possible  taste  to  cause  such  a 
scandal  in  the  street." 


122  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  I  thank  you,  monsieur.  But  the  young  man's  name — 
do  you  know  it  ?  " 

"  He  told  me  while  we  were  dining ;  for  we  dined 
together,  and  he  told  me  the  whole  story  of  his  love 
affair.  I  must  hasten  to  add  that  there  was  nothing  in  it 
which  casts  the  slightest  reflection  on  madame's  honor. 
But  she  allowed  that  young  man  to  pay  court  to  her,  she 
flattered  him  with  the  hope  that  she  would  marry  him 
some  day.  But  when  you  appeared,  the  scales  were  very 
soon  turned  in  your  favor,  and  my  poor  lover  was  given 
the  mitten." 

"  Then  the  man  who  told  you  all  this  must  have  been 
Monsieur  Gustave  Darlemont  ?  " 

"  The  very  same ;  those  are  his  names." 

"  Yes,  I  remember  meeting  him  now  and  then  at  Mon- 
sieur Gerbault's,  in  the  first  days  of  my  intimacy  with 
that  family.  You  will  agree,  monsieur, — for  you  seem 
well  acquainted  with  society  and  its  customs, — that  it  is 
indiscreet,  to  say  no  more,  for  a  young  man  who  has 
been  kindly  received  by  a  respectable  family,  to  go  about 
telling  of  his  love  affairs,  his  disappointed  hopes,  in  short, 
all  his  affairs,  to  someone  whom  he  doesn't  know,  and 
whom  he  meets  by  chance  in  the  street." 

"  It  was,  perhaps,  a  little  foolish,  I  admit ;  but  we  must 
excuse  some  foolish  performances  in  a  lover.  Poor  Gus- 
tave adored  your  wife — he  adores  her  still.  She  flirted  a 
bit  with  him." 

"  Monsieur ! " 

"Oh!  bless  my  soul,  all  the  women  do  it;  I  know  that 
well  enough ;  maids,  wives,  and  widows — before,  during, 
and  after — they  always  do  it.  It's  their  original  sin. 
Eve  set  the  example  by  flirting  with  the  serpent.  To 
try  to  cure  them  of  that  failing  would  be  to  attempt  the 


A   DUEL    WITHOUT  WITNESSES  123 

impossible:  women  are  made  that  way.  Quid  levins 
pluma  ?  pulvis  !  Quid  pulvere  ?  ventus  !  Quid  vento  ? 
mulier !  Quid  muliere?  nihil/" 

"  But,  monsieur,  how  did  it  happen  that  it  was  you, 
and  not  this  Monsieur  Gustave,  who  indulged  in  that 
insulting  exclamation  ?  " 

"  For  a  very  simple  reason :  Gustave  wasn't  there. 
After  dining  with  me,  at  the  same  restaurant  where 
you  had  your  wedding  banquet,  for  he  was  absolutely 
determined  to  speak  to  your  wife,  to  bid  her  a  last  fare- 
well  " 

"  The  impertinent  wretch  !  if  he  had  dared !  " 
"  Oh  !  mon  Dieu  !  you  wouldn't  have  known  anything 
about  it.  The  women  do  so  many  things  that  we  don't 
know!  But  a  certain  uncle  made  his  appearance — a 
gentleman  who  doesn't  joke,  and  who  hasn't  an  amiable 
manner  every  day.  He  dragged  his  nephew  away,  deaf 
to  his  prayers  and  lamentations — and  poor  Gustave  had  to 
go,  without  a  sight  of  his  faithless  Fanny. — I  beg  your 
pardon,  but  that's  the  expression  he  always  used  in 
speaking  of  madame  your  wife;  and  that  is  why  that 
exclamation  escaped  me  last  night,  when  I  saw  her  on 
your  arm.  Now  you  know  the  whole  story.  Faith ! 
here  we  are ;  see,  this  is  the  board  fence  about  the  vacant 
lot.  We  can  go  in  here ;  there's  a  solution  of  continuity. 
Not  so  much  as  a  cat,  inside  or  out;  this  is  delightful. 
You  can  get  the  swords  from  your  servant." 

Monleard,  having  taken  the  swords  from  his  groom, 
ordered  him  to  stay  by  the  cabriolet ;  then  he  and  Cherami 
entered  the  vacant  lot,  which  had  been  made  ready  for 
building,  but  as  yet  contained  nothing  but  stone.  They 
soon  reached  a  spot  where  there  was  nothing  to  embarrass 
them ;  there  they  removed  their  coats  and  stood  at  guard. 


124  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

By  the  way  in  which  Cherami  stood,  the  young  dandy 
saw  at  once  that  he  had  to  do  with  an  expert  fencer;  and, 
as  he  was  himself  well  skilled  in  the  use  of  the  sword,  he 
was  not  sorry  to  meet  an  adversary  worthy  of  his  steel. 

But  after  one  or  two  passes,  one  or  two  deftly  parried 
attacks,  Monleard  realized  that  he  had  before  him  an 
antagonist  of  the  first  order;  and  that  he  must  needs 
exert  his  utmost  talent  and  strength  to  gain  the  advan- 
tage. He  had  expected  to  have  done  with  his  opponent 
in  a  few  thrusts ;  his  self-esteem  was  touched  by  the 
necessity  of  defending  himself.  He  attacked  with  an  im- 
petuosity which  sometimes  made  him  forget  to  be  pru- 
dent; and  Cherami,  who  fought  as  coolly  as  if  he  were 
playing  shuttlecock,  said  to  him  from  time  to  time : 

"  Take  care,  you  are  making  mistakes,  you'll  run  on  my 
sword,  you  strike  down  too  much  !  I  give  you  warning ; 
it  won't  be  my  fault.  Ah  !  what  did  I  tell  you  ?  " 

Monleard,  attacking  awkwardly,  had  received  a  thrust 
in  the  arm,  and  the  wound  was  so  painful  that  he  had  to 
drop  his  sword. 

"  Enough,  I  am  beaten  !  "  said  the  young  man,  strug- 
gling to  conceal  his  suffering.  "  But  you  are  a  skilful 
fencer,  monsieur." 

"  Yes,  I  am  somewhat  expert  with  the  foils.  Wait  a 
moment;  let  me  take  your  handkerchief  and  bind  up  the 
wound,  to  stop  the  blood.  Then  we'll  make  a  sling  with 
your  black  silk  cravat." 

"  I  am  extremely  obliged,  monsieur ;  a  thousand  par- 
dons for  the  trouble  I  am  causing  you." 

"Why,  between  honorable  men,  this  is  the  way  it  should 
always  be :  when  the  fight's  over,  shake  hands.  It's  a 
pity  the  sword  went  in  so  far,  or  we  might  have  break- 
fasted together." 


A   SALON  IN  THE   CHAUSSEE  D'AWTIN  125 

"  Oh  !  I  am  forced  to  admit  that  that  would  be  quite 
impossible." 

"  Yes,  I  understand.  You  are  in  for  a  fortnight  of  it, 
perhaps  three  weeks.  There's  a  lot  of  muscles  in  the 
arm,  that  are  as  obstinate  as  the  devil  about  getting  well. 
Are  you  strong  enough  to  walk  to  your  cabriolet,  leaning 
on  me  ?  Shall  I  call  your  groom  ?  " 

"  Oh !  there's  no  need ;  I  can  walk  with  your  assist- 
ance." 

"  Take  my  arm,  and  don't  be  afraid  to  lean  on  it." 

Monleard  succeeded,  although  suffering  intensely,  in 
reaching  his  carriage,  which  Cherami  assisted  him  to 
enter,  after  putting  the  swords  inside.  Then,  saluting 
his  adversary,  who  thanked  him  again,  Cherami  walked 
away,  saying : 

"  Delighted  to  have  had  the  pleasure  of  making  your 
acquaintance  ! " 


XIX 

A  SALON  IN  THE  CHAUSSEE  D'ANTIN 

Three  weeks  after  the  marriage  of  Fanny  Gerbault  and 
the  brilliant  Auguste  Monleard,  the  exceedingly  hand- 
some salon  of  a  house  on  Rue  Neuve-des-Mathurins  con- 
tained, about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a  company  in 
which,  although  small  in  numbers,  we  shall  find  several 
persons  of  our  acquaintance. 

First  of  all,  this  young  woman  seated  on  a  causeuse, 
beside  a  lovely  table  of  Chinese  lacquer,  and  working 
carelessly  upon  a  piece  of  embroidery,  is  the  newly  made 


126  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

bride,  Fanny,  now  Madame  Monleard,  in  a  charming 
gown  of  the  sort  one  wears  at  home,  to  receive  a  few 
friends ;  she  has  no  other  head-dress  than  her  own  hair, 
which  is  arranged  with  much  taste,  the  back  hair  being 
braided  and  wound  about  the  head,  like  a  crown. 

Marriage  has  not  impaired  the  young  woman's  beauty; 
her  complexion  is  fresh  and  rosy,  her  eyes  gleam  with 
greater  animation,  and  about  her  lips  plays  a  smile  of 
satisfaction,  almost  of  beatitude,  except,  however,  when 
her  eyes  happen  to  fall  upon  a  newspaper  which  lies  on 
the  table,  open  at  the  page  containing  the  transactions 
on  the  Bourse,  and  the  stock  quotations.  At  such  times, 
her  brows  contract  slightly,  and  her  lips  close ;  but  that 
feeling  of  vexation  soon  disappears,  the  charming  Fanny 
turns  her  eyes  elsewhere,  and  her  face  resumes  its  amiable 
and  contented  expression. 

A  short  distance  away,  another  young  woman  is  sitting 
at  the  piano,  turning  over  the  leaves  of  a  volume  of  music. 
It  is  Adolphine,  Fanny's  sister.  You  know  already  that 
her  hair  is  not  so  black  as  her  sister's,  and  that  her  eyes 
are  a  little  smaller,  which  fact  does  not  prevent  Adolphine 
from  being  a  charming  person ;  above  all,  there  is  on  her 
face  a  sweet  and  melancholy  expression,  which  always 
attracts,  and  arouses  interest.  A  little  taller  than  her 
sister,  Adolphine  has  a  slender,  elegant  figure ;  her  walk 
is  always  graceful.  Pretty  women  have  this  peculiarity 
in  common  with  cats,  that  there  is  in  their  slightest 
movements  an  indefinable  fascination ;  and  this  quality 
is  not  the  attribute  of  the  most  coquettish  only,  but 
equally  of  those  in  whom  grace  of  movement  is  entirely 
natural. 

For  some  time  past,  Adolphine's  melancholy  had 
almost  become  sadness ;  her  eyes  were  often  fixed  on  the 


A   SALON  IN  THE   CHAUSSEE  D'ANTIN  127 

ground,  and  she  would  sit  for  hours  buried  in  thought, 
which,  if  one  could  judge  by  the  expression  of  her  fea- 
tures, was  not  concerned  with  pleasant  memories.  Sud- 
denly, she  would  emerge  from  her  abstraction,  and,  as 
if  ashamed  of  having  abandoned  herself  to  her  reveries, 
would  glance  hastily  about,  to  see  if  anyone  had  noticed 
her;  and  would  strive  to  smile,  in  order  to  conceal  the 
thoughts  with  which  her  heart  was  occupied;  but  her 
smile  was  never  very  real,  and  her  merriment  was  like 
her  smile. 

Beyond  the  piano  was  a  card-table,  at  which  four 
persons  were  playing  the  inevitable  whist.  First,  there 
was  a  lady  evidently  on  the  wrong  side  of  forty,  but  who 
had  once  been  very  pretty,  and  who  still  produced  a 
brilliant  effect  by  artificial  light,  thanks  to  an  extremely 
careful  toilet,  in  which  were  employed  all  those  invaluable 
cosmetics  which  help  to  prevent  a  lady  from  appearing 
old.  Furthermore,  Madame  de  Mirallon — such  was  her 
name — wore  diamonds  of  very  great  value  at  her  neck 
and  in  her  ears.  But  those  who  claim  that  diamonds 
embellish  a  woman  are  entirely  mistaken ;  we  should  say 
simply  that  they  enrich  her ;  and,  in  this  connection,  we 
may  well  remember  the  remark  of  Apelles  :  "  You  make 
her  rich,  because  you  cannot  make  her  beautiful." 

At  this  lady's  right  was  a  man  of  about  fifty  years, 
with  an  intelligent  and  distinguished  face,  somewhat  cold 
and  reserved  in  manner,  but  unimpeachably  courteous, 
even  when,  in  the  course  of  conversation,  he  indulged  in 
a  stinging  retort.  He  spoke  but  little,  however,  and  his 
dress  and  bearing  were  perfectly  consonant  with  his  age. 
He  was  Monsieur  Clairval. 

Opposite  him  was  a  young  man,  neither  handsome  nor 
ugly,  but  dressed  with  extreme  care,  and  with  a  head 


128  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

of  hair  worthy  to  figure  in  a  wig-maker's  show-window. 
It  should  be  said  that  the  young  dandy  was  the  proud 
possessor  of  a  forest  of  chestnut  locks,  a  fertile  field 
for  the  invention  of  a  hair-dresser.  Monsieur  Anatole  de 
Raincy — such  was  the  young  man's  name — played  cards 
in  straw-colored  gloves,  moulded  to  a  pair  of  tiny  hands 
of  which  he  seemed  to  be  very  proud,  and  which  he  kept 
always  in  evidence.  To  complete  the  portrait,  we  must 
add  a  small  light  chestnut  moustache,  eyeglasses,  and  a 
constant  lisp  in  his  speech. 

The  fourth  whist  player,  who  was  the  lady's  partner, 
was  a  man  about  forty  years  old,  a  faded  blonde,  with  a 
conceited  and  idiotic  air;  a  doll's  face,  from  which  pro- 
truded a  pair  of  great  eyes  which  were  always  rolling 
from  side  to  side  with  an  astonished  expression — an 
expression  which  never  varied.  He  bowed  whenever 
anyone  spoke  to  him,  and  found  a  way  to  pay  compli- 
ments to  everybody,  accompanying  his  speeches  with  a 
conventional  smile,  which  he  retained  even  when  he  was 
listening  to  others ;  all  of  which  may  afford  you  in  an- 
ticipation an  accurate  idea  of  the  ingenuousness  of  this 
individual,  whose  name  was  Batonnin. 

An  old  beau,  of  at  least  sixty  years,  but  who  affected 
the  dress,  the  gait,  and  all  the  manners  of  a  young  man, 
fluttered  about  the  table,  dancing  attendance  on  the 
ladies ;  his  face  alone  persisted  in  betraying  his  age, 
although  its  owner  did  his  utmost  to  avoid  the  scrutiny 
of  the  curious.  But  his  cheeks,  which  had  fallen  in  on 
account  of  the  loss  of  his  teeth,  a  very  long  nose,  purple 
at  the  end,  and  an  assortment  of  wrinkles  which  streaked 
his  temples,  made  it  impossible  for  that  face  to  create  an 
illusion.  As  for  the  hair,  it  was  of  a  fine,  glossy  black, 
which  proved  that  he  wore  a  wig. 


A   SALON  IN  THE   CHAUSSEE  D'ANTIN  129 

Such  was  Monsieur  le  Comte  de  la  Beriniere,  a  ven- 
erable dandy,  who  still  possessed  a  handsome  fortune, 
although  he  had  consumed  a  portion  of  his  means  by 
living  like  a  prince,  and  paying  assiduous  court  to  the 
fair  sex.  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere's  great  fault  was  his 
obstinate  belief  that  he  was  still  young  and  fascinating, 
and  his  consequent  persistence  in  seeking  to  make  con- 
quests. However,  being  descended  from  an  illustrious 
family,  and  having  all  the  manners  of  a  grand  seigneur, 
the  count,  albeit  he  had  not  overmuch  intelligence,  had, 
at  all  events,  the  merit  of  being  always  amiable  and 
cheerful ;  and,  as  we  see,  he  had  never  chosen  to  meddle 
with  any  but  the  attractive  features  of  life.  We  may  add 
that  he  had  never  married. 

The  count  left  the  whist  table,  and,  approaching  Ma- 
dame Monleard,  examined  her  embroidery. 

"  Ah  !  what  pretty  work  that  is  you  are  doing,  belle 
dame  !  Why,  you  seem  to  possess  all  the  talents  ! " 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  I  haven't  so  very  many !  " 

"  Is  it  a  rug  you're  making  ?  " 

"  No ;  it's  a  design  for  a  footstool." 

"What  a  lucky  dog  Monleard  is!  He  has  married 
a  treasure ! " 

"  You  exaggerate,  monsieur  le  comte." 

"  No,  I  say  what  I  think  ;  and  if  I  had  known  you  ear- 
lier   Oh !  I  know  what  I'd  have  done  !  Ah !  Dieu ! " 

"  What  a  sigh !     Ha  !  ha !  ha !  " 

"  It  makes  you  laugh  to  hear  me  sigh  ?  " 

"  Why,  what  other  effect  should  it  have  on  me  ?  " 

"Ah!  women  are  cruel  sometimes.  But,  no  matter!  if 
I  had  known  you  before  Monleard,  I  would  have  solicited 
the  honor  of  making  you  Comtesse  de  la  Beriniere." 

"  What  nonsense  !  " 


13o  MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 

"  Oh !  I  am  not  joking.  But  fate  willed  otherwise. 
And  I  say  again  that  Monleard  is  a  lucky  dog. — By  the 
way,  how  is  his  arm  ?  " 

"  It  is  improving  slowly ;  he  can't  use  it  yet." 

"  It's  a  long  while  getting  well. — And  to  think  that 
that  accident  happened  the  very  day  after  your  wedding! " 

"  Yes,  the  next  day." 

"  He  fell  on  the  stairs,  I  believe  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  slipped,  and  fell  on  his  arm." 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  do  come 
and  advise  my  partner,  Monsieur  Batonnin.  Upon  my 
word,  he's  been  making  mistake  after  mistake ! " 

"  It  must  be  my  pleasure  in  playing  with  you,  madame, 
that  distracts  me,"  rejoined  the  little  man  with  the  pro- 
truding eyes,  bowing  to  his  partner. 

"In  that  case,  monsieur,  moderate  your  pleasure,  I 
entreat  you,  and  don't  trump  my  kings  any  more." 

The  count  regretfully  quitted  the  young  bride  and 
returned  to  the  card-table,  saying  : 

"  But  monsieur  doesn't  need  my  advice ;  he  plays  very 
well." 

"  Oh  !  you  are  too  good,  monsieur ! " 

"  I  am  well  aware  that  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  prefers 
to  pay  court  to  the  ladies  rather  than  watch  the  game ! " 
rejoined  Madame  de  Mirallon,  in  a  tone  which  she  in- 
tended to  be  ironical,  but  in  which  there  was  a  slight 
tincture  of  mortification ;  "  but  he  can  afford  to  spare  us 
a  few  moments." 

"Whatever  is  agreeable  to  you,  I  will  do,  madame." 

"  Indeed !  But  it  did  not  suit  your  pleasure  to  join 
our  game?" 

"  Madame,  if  you  would  kindly  attend  to  your  play " 

"  Oh !  Monsieur  Clairval  is  so  severe ! " 


A   SALON  IN  THE   CHAUSSEE  D'ANTIN  131 

"  No,  madame ;  but  we  don't  usually  talk  when  we're 
playing  whist." 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  if  one  must  never  say  a  word Ah! 

Monsieur  Batonnin,  that  is  too  cruel!  Don't  you  re- 
member my  signal?" 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  madame ;  but  no  man  is  required 
to  do  the  impossible." 

"  I  don't  understand  proverbs." 

"  That  means,"  observed  the  count,  with  a  laugh,  "that 
monsieur  has  no  club." 

"  That  makes  no  difference ;  his  game  was  to  play  one." 

"  Let  us  put  our  cards  on  the  table,  and  play  that  way; 
it  will  be  simpler,"  interposed  Monsieur  Clairval. 

"I  had  thutht  ath  lief;  I  played  that  way  onth,  a 
three-handed  game  with  a  dummy." 

"  Monsieur  de  Raincy,  I  might  justly  complain,  as  well 
as  madame ;  but  I  see  that  this  is  an  evening  of  absent- 
mindedness." 

"  Why,  what  did  I  do  wrong.     I  don't  thee " 

"  Oh  !  I  shall  tell  you  later." 

"  I  flatter  mythelf  that  I  play  a  fine  game  of  whitht." 

"  You  are  quite  right !  " 

"  Well,  Monsieur  Batonnin !  well !  what  are  you  think- 
ing about  ? " 

"  I  thought  you  would  trump,  madame." 

"  We've  lost  the  odd — and  it's  your  fault." 

"  We  have  won." 

"  Now  for  the  rubber !  " 

"  I  beg  you,  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  stand  behind 
Monsieur  Batonnin. — Oh !  he  doesn't  listen  to  me !  he 
has  gone  to  pay  his  court  to  Mademoiselle  Adolphine. 
What  a  butterfly  that  man  is,  and  when  will  he  sober 
down  ?  " 


J32  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  observed  Monsieur  Clairval,  with  a 
smile,  "  that  it  would  be  rather  hard  for  him  to  change 
his  habits  now." 

The  count  had,  in  fact,  approached  Adolphine,  who 
was  still  pretending  to  be  absorbed  in  the  music-books, 
and  who  apparently  did  not  see  that  anyone  was  by 
her  side. 

"  You  are  fond  of  music,  mademoiselle  ?  " 

"Ah ! — I  beg  your  pardon.     Yes,  monsieur,  very." 

"  Do  you  sing  ?  " 

"A  little." 

"  Young  ladies  are  never  willing  to  admit  that  they 
sing  more  than  a  little.  I  don't  refer  to  you,  mademoi- 
selle. I  am  told  that  your  voice  is  very  sweet  and  true." 

"  Your  informant  flatters  me,  monsieur." 

"  Shall  we  have  the  pleasure  of  hearing  you  this 
evening  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  at  all,  monsieur.  But,  if  it  will  gratify 
my  sister " 

"  Your  sister,  of  course ;  but  the  whole  company  as 
well." 

"  Oh  !  whist  players  care  but  little  for  singing." 

"  You  are  more  or  less  right ;  that  game  makes  savages 
of  people — ferocious  savages,  I  may  say.  Whist  enthu- 
siasts close  the  door  when  there  is  singing  in  the  next 
room.  I  verily  believe,  that,  if  you  told  them  the  house 
was  burning  down,  they'd  insist  on  finishing  their  rub 
before  making  their  escape." 

"  You  see  that  it  would  be  very  unkind  of  me  to  sing." 

"  Pardon  me,  I  am  not  playing ;  and  what  do  you 
care  if " 

"  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  in  the  name  of  your  an- 
cestors, come  and  show  Monsieur  Batonnin  how  to  play ; 


A   NEWLY  MARRIED  PAIR 


133 


it's  very  important !  We  are  playing  the  rub,  and  I  don't 
want  to  lose  it  through  my  partner's  misplay." 

"That  Madame  de  Mirallon  is  a  terrible  creature, 
really  !  Ah  !  when  women  grow  old,  they  gain  in  exact- 
ingness  what  they  lose  in  attractions;  and  the  compensa- 
tion isn't  sufficient." 

Having  indulged  in  this  muttered  reflection,  the  count 
returned  to  his  station  behind  Monsieur  Batonnin ;  and 
Madame  de  Mirallon  bestowed  a  long  and  searching 
glance  upon  him  as  she  said : 

"  It's  very  hard  to  keep  you,  now ! " 

And  the  word  now  brought  a  smile  to  the  lips  of 
Monsieur  Clairval,  who  said  to  his  partner : 

"  Come,  Monsieur  de  Raincy,  we  must  stand  to  our 
guns ;  we  are  playing  against  three." 


XX 

A  NEWLY  MARRIED  PAIR 

Adolphine  left  the  piano  and  sat  down  beside  her  sister. 

"  I  am  sure  that  you  are  annoyed,  Fanny,  because  your 
husband  doesn't  come  home." 

"  I  ?  Mon  Dieu  !  I  wasn't  thinking  about  him  at  all. 
If  he  stays  away,  it  is  probably  because  he  has  business 
to  attend  to.  You  don't  understand  business,  you  see, 
Adolphine ;  you  don't  know  that,  if  you  want  to  make  a 
lot  of  money,  you  must  sometimes  deprive  yourself  of 
a  little  pleasure." 

"  No,  it's  true,  I  don't  understand  money  matters ;  but 
I  thought  that  two  people  just  married  could  not  be 


134 


MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 


happy  apart,  that  they  must  be  horribly  bored  when 
they're  not  together." 

"  Oh !  my  dear  girl,  there's  reason  in  everything.  And 
then,  we  have  plenty  of  time  to  be  together." 

"  Still,  when  you  marry  for  love — and  Monsieur  Mon- 

leard  certainly  seemed  to  be  in  love  with  you Is 

that  all  over  already  ?  " 

"Why — no — but  when  two  people  are  once  married, 
they're  no  longer  like  two  lovers.  You'll  find  that  out 
some  day,  my  little  sister !  I  still  call  you  little,  although 
you're  taller  than  I." 

"Ah!  I  know  that  I  could  never  love  as  placidly  as 
you  do ! — I  was  afraid  that  your  husband  might  be  angry 
with  you  on  account  of  that  duel." 

"Auguste  has  too  much  good  sense  and  breeding  to 
charge  me  with  the  folly  and  extravagance  of  another, 
as  a  crime.  It's  not  my  fault  that  another  man  was  in 
love  with  me !  " 

"  Oh !  that  poor  Gustave  !    He  did  love  you  so  dearly ! " 

"  Oh,  yes !  I  advise  you  to  pity  him  !  He  behaved 
nobly,  didn't  he  ?  To  go  shouting  jeremiads  in  the  street, 
and  end  by  sending  someone  to  fight  in  his  place  !  Fie ! 
it  was  shameful ! " 

"Fanny,  you  judge  Gustave  too  harshly;  do  you  im- 
pute it  to  him  as  a  crime,  that  he  didn't  insult  your 
husband  ?  Oh !  he  probably  would  have  done  it,  if  his 
uncle  hadn't  dragged  him  away,  almost  by  force,  from 
that  restaurant,  where  he  absolutely  insisted  on  speaking 
to  you." 

"  How  do  you  know  all  that  ?  " 

"  Because  it  was  I  who  sent  word  to  Monsieur  Grand- 
court  that  his  nephew  was  at  the  restaurant  where  the 
wedding  was  being  celebrated." 


A  NEWLY  MARRIED  PAIR  135 

"  Oh  !  yes,  so  you  told  me.  That  fellow  wanted  to 
make  a  scene — and  by  what  right?  Was  I  obliged 
to  marry  him,  I  should  like  to  know  ? " 

"  You  allowed  him  to  believe  that  you  loved  him." 

"  Nonsense  !  because  a  woman  listens  to  the  soft  things 
these  men  say  to  her,  because  she  smiles  when  they  sigh, 
they  instantly  assume  that  she  adores  them.  A  fine 
position  he  offered  me,  didn't  he  ?  Three  thousand  francs 
a  year — magnificent !  " 

"  If  you  had  really  loved  him,  you  wouldn't  have  cared 
about  his  wealth." 

"  Oh !  I'm  not  romantic  like  you.  With  Auguste,  I 
have  a  coupe  at  my  orders,  and  I  find  it  very  pleasant. 
I  tell  you  again,  your  Monsieur  Gustave  is  an  idiot ! " 

"  Ah !  Fanny,  it's  wicked  for  you  to  talk  like  that ;  to 
treat  him  so,  just  because  he  loved  you  sincerely." 

"  Much  I  care  about  his  love !  His  behavior  was  none 
the  less  blamable.  What  excuse  had  he  for  sending  that 
tall  ruffian  to  insult  me  when  I  left  the  ball — which,  of 
course,  compelled  Auguste  to  fight  with  the  fellow  ?  " 

"  I  would  take  my  oath  that  Monsieur  Gustave  never 
told  that  person,  with  whom  he  had  dined,  to  say  a  single 
insulting  word  to  you.  Besides,  Monsieur  Grandcourt 
took  his  nephew  away  long  before  you  left  the  ball. 
That  man,  who  presumed  to  address  an  offensive  remark 
to  you,  was  drunk;  he  had  already  had  trouble  with 
some  of  the  gentlemen,  for  he  insisted  on  offering  his 
arm  to  the  ladies  when  they  arrived  for  the  ball." 

"  Then,  my  dear  girl,  you  will  agree  that  your  Monsieur 
Gustave  has  some  very  low  acquaintances  ?  " 

Adolphine  made  no  reply,  but  sadly  lowered  her  eyes. 
A  moment  later,  her  sister  continued:  "What  surprises 
me  is  that  I  haven't  once  seen  Monsieur  Gustave,  or  met 


136  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

him  anywhere,  since  my  wedding.  For  a  man  so  dead 
in  love,  not  to  try  to  see  me  at  my  window,  at  least 
once You  see  that  he  is  consoled,  so  soon." 

"  He  is  not  in  Paris.  His  uncle  forced  him  to  start  for 
Spain  the  very  next  day." 

"  Ah !  he's  in  Spain  ?  that  makes  a  difference  !  But 
you  seem  to  know  all  about  him.  From  whom,  pray  ?  " 

"  Father  met  Monsieur  Grandcourt  not  long  ago,  and 
he  told  him  that  his  nephew  was  in  Spain." 

"Ah  !  someone  has  just  rung." 

"  It's  your  husband,  no  doubt." 

"  If  it's  he,  we  shall  see  him  in  a  moment." 

It  was  not  the  master  of  the  house  who  entered  the 
salon,  but  Monsieur  Gerbault,  who,  like  an  affectionate 
father,  began  by  kissing  his  daughters. 

"  Good-evening,  father,"  said  Fanny.  "  Why  didn't 
you  come  to  dinner,  with  Adolphine  ?  My  husband 
didn't  like  it." 

"  I  couldn't,  my  dear  child.  Adolphine  must  have 
told  you  that  I  had  promised  a  gentleman  from  the 
provinces " 

"  A  fine  reason !  You  should  have  sent  your  gen- 
tleman from  the  provinces  off  somewhere  to  dine  by 
himself." 

"No,  when  I  have  promised,  I  keep  my  promise. 
Where  is  your  husband,  by  the  way  ?  " 

"  He  had  somebody  to  see  to-night.  He'll  be  at  home 
soon." 

"  There !  we  have  lost !  I  knew  it !  "  cried  Madame  de 
Mirallon.  "  Ah !  Monsieur  Batonnin,  I  will  never  forgive 
you  those  six  counters  !  " 

"But,  madame,  I  am  well  paid  by  the  pleasure  of 
having  been  your  partner." 


A   NEWLY  MARRIED  PAIR  137 

"  Luckily,  Monsieur  Gerbault  is  here.  He  knows  how 
to  play !  Come  and  take  a  hand,  Monsieur  Gerbault." 

"  I  do  not  care  to  play  any  more,"  said  De  Raincy ; 
"  when  I  have  played  two  rubberth,  I  have  had  enough ; 
it  maketh  my  head  ache." 

As  he  spoke,  the  nattily-gloved  youth  left  the  card- 
table  and  joined  the  two  sisters. 

"  Were  you  at  the  Bourse  to-day,  Monsieur  de  Raincy  ?  " 
inquired  Fanny. 

"  Thertainly,  madame ;  I  go  there  every  day." 

"  How  were  the  Orleans  and  Lyon  Railway  shares  ?  " 

"  Very  thtrong,  madame." 

"  Do  you  think  they'll  go  higher  ?  " 

"  Why,  yeth,  I  think  tho ;  unleth  they  go  down." 

"  That's  rather  a  vague  opinion." 

"  I  never  have  any  definite  opinion.  At  the  Bourth  one 
ith  tho  often  mithtaken  !  But  your  huthband  can  keep 
you  pothted  better  than  I  can.  He  ith  alwayth  there ; 
he  theemth  to  be  interethted  in  thome  big  dealth." 

"  Auguste  ?  True,  but  he  doesn't  like  to  have  me  ask 
him  how  the  market  is  going ;  he  declares  that  women 
know  nothing  about  it;  that  they  ought  to  attend  to 
spending  the  money,  not  to  making  it." 

"  I  fanthy  that  ith  the  general  rule  among  the 
ladieth." 

"  I  think  differently.  Oh !  if  I  had  been  a  man,  I  would 
have  been  a  stock-broker !  " 

"  Do  you  mean  it !  There  are  thome  of  them  who  have 
to  put  up  with  lotheth.  Ah!  here'th  our  dear  Monleard! " 

Fanny's  husband  had  just  arrived;  he  wore  his  right 
arm  in  a  sling ;  he  was  very  pale,  his  face  was  careworn, 
and  his  eyes  almost  sombre.  However,  finding  guests 
in  his  salon,  he  instantly  assumed  the  affable  manner 


138  MONSIEUR   CHER  AM  I 

which  a  host  should  always  display.  Young  De  Raincy 
hastened  to  go  to  shake  hands  with  him. 

"  Good-evening !  dear  boy." 

"  Good-evening !  Anatole.  Messieurs,  mesdames,  your 
servant!" 

The  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  also  shook  hands  with 
Monleard,  crying: 

"  Ah !  here's  the  lucky  man !  the  fortunate  husband ! 
So  you  still  offer  your  left  hand,  eh  ?  " 

"  What  would  you  have !  it's  not  my  fault  that  I  can't 
use  my  right." 

"  Why  the  devil  do  you  want  to  fall  on  the  stairs  ? 
You're  too  careless — and  the  day  after  your  wedding, 
too!  I'll  stake  my  head  you  were  running  to  your  wife?" 

"  Just  so !  "  Auguste  replied,  with  a  glance  at  Fanny, 
who  simply  smiled,  without  raising  her  eyes  from  her 
embroidery  frame. 

"  I  was  sure  of  it !  It  was  his  haste,  his  love  for  you, 
belle  dame,  which  caused  his  accident.  Ah !  your  eyes 
are  very  dangerous !  But,  after  all,  as  love  caused  the 
destruction  of  Troy,  it  may  well  make  a  man  slip  on 
the  stairs." 

"  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  pray  come  here  a  moment." 

"  Gad !  Madame  de  Mirallon  can't  seem  to  get  enough 
of  me  this  evening.  It's  a  conspiracy !  Can  she  have 
conceived  the  idea  of  monopolizing  me  ?  " 

And  the  count,  who  had  made  these  remarks  in  an 
undertone,  added  aloud : 

"  But,  madame,  I  see  that  Monsieur  Batonnin  is  no 
longer  your  partner;  Monsieur  Gerbault  has  taken  his 
place,  so  you  can  have  no  reason  to  complain  now." 

"  Ah  !  what  a  cruel  man  you  are !  I  wanted  to  show 
you  an  extraordinary  hand." 


A   NEWLY  MARRIED  PAIR  139 

"  Mon  Dieu !  she  has  shown  me  her  hand  often 
enough ! "  muttered  the  count,  turning  toward  young 
De  Raincy ;  "  I  don't  care  to  see  it  any  more." 

Auguste,  having  shaken  hands  with  his  father-in-law, 
and  said  a  word  or  two  to  the  different  guests,  went  up 
to  his  wife  and  tapped  her  gently  on  the  cheek. 

"  You  are  making  me  a  piece  of  furniture,  I  see,  ma- 
dame,"  he  said ;  "  that  is  well  done  of  you  !  " 

"  Oh !  that  would  take  too  long,"  rejoined  Fanny, 
looking  up  at  her  husband  as  she  would  have  looked 
at  the  merest  acquaintance ;  "  it's  a  stool,  that's  all." 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  what  are  you  doing  with  that  newspaper 
spread  out  before  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  posting  myself  as  to  the  prices  of  stocks,  my 
dear." 

"  That's  a  most  entertaining  occupation  for  a  woman." 

As  he  spoke,  Auguste  took  the  paper,  crumpled  it  in 
his  hands,  and  tossed  it  into  a  corner  of  the  salon  ;  Fanny 
watched  him  while  he  did  it,  then  glanced  at  her  sister, 
and  said  under  her  breath  : 

"  You  see,  he  doesn't  want  me  to  look  at  the  market 
reports.  But  I  shall  look  at  some  other  paper — that's 
all." 

"  Does  your  arm  still  pain  you,  brother  ?  "  Adolphine 
asked  Monleard,  having  observed  his  thoughtful  ex- 
pression. 

"  No,  little  sister,  no.  I  thank  you  for  being  good 
enough  to  take  some  interest  in  it.  There  are  people 
who  take  more  interest  in  the  rise  and  fall  of  stocks  than 
in  the  wound  I  received ;  and  yet " 

He  paused,  as  if  he  were  afraid  of  saying  too  much ; 
but  Adolphine  had  fully  grasped  the  significance  of  his 
words,  and  she  whispered  to  her  sister : 


140  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  Your  husband  is  vexed  because  you  didn't  ask  him 
about  his  wound" 

"  Let  me  alone,  pray !  Haven't  I  seen  my  husband 
to-day?  I  fancy  that  the  condition  of  his  arm  hasn't 
changed  in  a  few  hours." 

"  No  matter ;  it  isn't  nice  of  you  not  to  show  more 
interest ;  for,  after  all,  it  was  on  your  account  that  that 
duel  took  place." 

"  Oh !  I  beg  you,  Adolphine,  don't  talk  to  me  like 
that ;  you  set  my  nerves  on  edge !  For  several  days, 
my  husband  has  been  in  a  very  disagreeable  mood ;  as 
I  cannot  be  the  cause  of  it,  I  don't  worry  about  it  in  the 
least ;  indeed,  I  even  pretend  not  to  notice  it." 

"  If  I  were  in  your  place,  I  would  ask  him  the  cause 
of  it." 

"  Oh !  I  should  be  very  sorry  if  I  did !  My  gen- 
tleman is  capricious,  it  seems ;  so  much  the  worse  for 
him ! " 

"  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  promised  to  sing  for  us, 
mademoiselle,"  said  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  who  had 
once  more  escaped  from  Madame  de  Mirallon  and  has- 
tened to  Adolphine's  side. 

"  Mon  Dieu !  monsieur,  if  it  will  give  you  any  pleasure, 
I  will  gladly  sing ;  but  it  will  disturb  the  whist." 

"  Sing  away !  "  said  Monsieur  Gerbault ;  "  we  will  stuff 
our  ears." 

"  Thanks,  papa !  " 

"  There's  a  father  who  doesn't  say  what  he  thinks,  I 
am  sure." 

While  Adolphine  took  her  place  at  the  piano,  young 
Anatole  said  to  Monleard  : 

"  Ith  it  true  that  Morithel  hath  run  away  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes  !  " 


A  NEWLY  MARRIED  PAIR  141 

"  The  devil !  And  he'th  carried  off  thix  hundred 
thouthand  francth,  they  thay." 

"  Something  like  that." 

"  You  had  thome  buthineth  relathionth  with  him ; 
haven't  you  lotht  anything  by  him  ?  " 

"  No — a  trifle — some  thirty  thousand  francs  or  so." 

"  A  trifle  like  that  would  embarrath  me  thadly !  To 
be  thure,  I'm  not  a  capitalitht  like  you." 

Auguste  bit  his  lips  and  took  a  seat  by  the  piano.  Adol- 
phine  sang  a  lovely  romanza  by  Nadaud.  Her  voice  was 
sweet  and  well  modulated;  in  a  word,  it  was  a  sympathetic 
voice,  and,  furthermore,  its  possessor  had  an  agreeable 
habit  of  pronouncing  distinctly  the  words  she  sang;  which 
increased  twofold  the  pleasure  of  those  who  listened  to  her. 

Auguste's  face  lighted  up  a  little.  Young  Anatole 
ceased  to  gaze  at  his  hands ;  the  count  seemed  fascinated, 
and  did  not  once  remove  his  eyes  from  the  singer.  At 
last,  Madame  de  Mirallon  exclaimed : 

"  It's  your  play,  Monsieur- Batonnin ;  do,  for  heaven's 
sake,  attend  to  the  game !  " 

"  A  thousand  pardons,  madame ;  I  was  listening  to  the 
singing." 

"  But  we  are  not  singing,  monsieur !  " 

"  Thank  God !  "  muttered  Monsieur  Clairval. 

"  What's  that !  Why  did  you  say :  '  Thank  God ! '  Mon- 
sieur Clairval  ?  " 

"  Because,  if  we  were  all  singing,  madame,  we  should 
not  have  the  pleasure  of  hearing  mademoiselle." 

"  You  see  that  I  am  disturbing  the  game,"  said 
Adolphine. 

"  No,  no ;  pray  go  on,  mademoiselle !  As  if  people 
could  play  whist  for  two  minutes  without  a  dispute  ! 
You  are  the  pretext  at  this  moment,  that's  all." 


142  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

Adolphine  continued  to  sing.  The  game  of  whist 
came  to  an  end,  and  Madame  de  Mirallon  lost  again. 
She  left  the  table  in  a  pet,  exclaiming: 

"  I  certainly  will  give  up  playing  whist !  " 

"  Do  you  know  my  favorite  game  ? "  said  Monsieur 
Gerbault;  "it's  bezique." 

"  Fie,  fie !  a  messroom  game !  " 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  that ;  but  piquet  is  a 
messroom  game,  too,  which  doesn't  prevent  its  being 
a  very  fine  game.  I've  heard  people  say  of  lansquenet : 
'  It's  a  footman's  game ! '  the  same  thing  has  been  said 
of  ecarte — but  that  doesn't  prevent  those  games  from 
being  played  in  the  salons.  For  my  part,  I  believe  in 
playing  the  game  that  amuses  us,  without  disturbing 
ourselves  about  its  origin." 

"  I  am  wild  over  bezique,  too,"  cried  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere ;  "  and,  if  you  will  allow  me,  Monsieur  Gerbault, 
I  shall  take  great  pleasure  in  playing  a  game  with  you." 

"  Whenever  you  choose,  monsieur  le  comte,  you  will 
be  welcome." 

"That's  a  game  I  am  very  fond  of,  too,"  said  Monsieur 
Batonnin. 

"  I  am  not  thure  whether  I  know  it,  but  I  think  not." 

"  Very  well,  messieurs,"  said  Fanny ;  "  the  next  time, 
we'll  have  a  bezique  table  for  those  who  like  it. — How  is 
it  with  you,  Auguste ;  do  you  play  it  ?  " 

"  I  ?  What  ?  what  game  is  that  ?  "  replied  Monleard, 
who  had  not  listened  to  the  conversation. 

"  Bezique." 

"  No.     Oh !  yes,  I  played  it  yesterday." 

"  My  son-in-law  is  distraught  this  evening." 

They  talked  a  few  moments  more,  then  all  the  guests 
took  leave  of  the  young  husband  and  wife.  But,  as  she 


A   MAIDEN'S  REVERIES  143 

went  away,  Adolphine  could  not  resist  the  desire  to  say 
to  her  sister,  in  an  undertone : 

"  Do  be  more  affectionate  with  your  husband.  He  is 
unhappy,  I  assure  you." 

"  And  I  assure  you,"  rejoined  Fanny,  "  that  that's  none 
of  my  affair;  as  if  a  woman  must  be  forever  worrying 
about  her  husband's  looks !  That  would  not  be  a  very 
entertaining  occupation ! " 


XXI 

A  MAIDEN'S  REVERIES 

More  than  a  fortnight  had  elapsed  since  the  Mon- 
leard's  whist  party,  at  which  Adolphine  had  sung  several 
romanzas.  But  her  sweet  voice  had  made  a  deep  im- 
pression upon  the  Comte  de  la  Beriniere,  also  upon  young 
Anatole  de  Raincy ;  it  had  even  caused  a  quickening  of 
the  heart-beats  of  Monsieur  Batonnin,  the  gentleman  who 
played  whist  so  poorly,  but  who  was  said  to  have  a  much 
clearer  comprehension  of  business,  which,  indeed,  was  his 
profession,  for  he  held  himself  out  as  a  business  agent. 

Adolphine  was  alone  in  a  small  salon,  much  less 
sumptuous  than  her  sister's,  but  very  comfortable  none 
the  less.  I  need  not  say  that  there  was  a  piano  in  it : 
that  has  become  an  indispensable  article  of  furniture;  we 
see  them  even  in  the  domiciles  of  concierges  who  have 
daughters  at  the  Conservatoire. 

Adolphine  held  a  book  in  her  hand,  but  she  was  not 
reading  it ;  she  was  musing,  and  her  face  still  wore  a  sad 
expression.  Upon  what  subject  can  a  maiden  of  eighteen 


144  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

muse  ?  Everybody  will  conclude  that  her  heart  was  en- 
grossed by  a  tender  sentiment.  And  yet,  no  man  had 
ever  paid  court  to  Adolphine,  no  one  had  ever  observed 
any  youthful  exquisite  paying  assiduous  attention  to  her. 
But  all  love  affairs  do  not  begin  in  the  same  way ;  they 
do  not  all  follow  the  beaten  paths ;  there  are  secret,  un- 
avowed  sentiments  which  those  who  inspire  them  are  very 
far  from  suspecting ;  and  when  it  is  a  virtuous  maiden's 
heart  in  which  one  of  those  profound  attachments  takes 
root,  she  suffers  all  the  more  because  of  the  pains  she 
takes  to  conceal  it. 

Adolphine  passed  her  hand  across  her  brow,  as  if  to 
brush  away  the  thoughts  that  made  her  sad ;  she  took 
up  her  book  again,  and  for  a  few  minutes  tried  to  read ; 
then  placed  it  beside  her,  saying  to  herself: 

"  It's  of  no  use  for  me  to  try  to  distract  my  thoughts — 
I  cannot  do  it.  I  used  to  be  so  fond  of  reading !  This 
book  is  intensely  interesting,  they  say,  and  I  have  no 
idea  what  I'm  reading ;  nothing  interests  me  now !  even 
music  no  longer  has  any  charm  for  me ;  my  poor  piano 
is  neglected ;  everything  is  a  bore.  Mon  Dieu  !  shall  I 
always  be  like  this  ?  Oh !  no,  that  would  be  ghastly ! 
It  will  pass  away ;  it  must  pass  away !  Father  has 
already  noticed  several  times  that  I  seemed  sad,  and  it 
worries  him ;  he  thinks  that  I  am  sick.  Oh !  I  don't 
want  to  make  him  uneasy.  But  it  isn't  my  fault ;  I  do  all 
that  I  possibly  can  to  drive  out  of  my  mind  the  memory 
of — that  person — and  it  keeps  coming  back.  And  yet,  I 
know  perfectly  well  that  there's  no  sense  in  it — that  I'm 
a  little  fool.  It's  of  no  use  for  me  to  argue — I  cannot 
cure  myself ! " 

The  door  of  the  salon  opened ;  it  was  Monsieur  Ger- 
bault.  The  girl  hurriedly  wiped  away  the  tears  that  were 


A   MAIDEN'S  REVERIES  145 

rolling  down  her  cheeks,  and  strove  to  assume  a  smiling 
expression,  as  she  went  to  meet  her  father. 

"  I  have  come  to  tell  you,  Adolphine,  that  we  shall 
have  two  guests  at  dinner  to-day." 

"  You  are  very  late  in  telling  me,  father.  But,  no 
matter !  I  will  go  and  tell  Madeleine." 

"  I  couldn't  tell  you  any  earlier ;  I  met  Monsieur  Ba- 
tonnin  only  a  moment  ago.  He  said :  '  I  am  going  to 
play  a  game  of  bezique  with  you  this  evening.'  I  said : 
'  Come  and  dine  with  us,  informally.'  " 

"  Monsieur  Batonnin !  I  don't  care  much  for  that  young 
man." 

"  Still  he  is  very  gallant — and  so  courteous." 

"  He  is  forever  paying  compliments — it's  a  horrible 
bore !  And  then,  he  always  has  a  smile  on  his  face.  Tell 
me,  papa,  is  that  natural  ?  Can  there  be  anyone  in  the 
world  who  is  always  satisfied  and  happy  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  that  it  was  rather  difficult.  However,  there 
are  optimists  who  look  at  the  bright  side  of  everything." 

"  For  my  part,  I  believe  that  those  people  are  not  sin- 
cere, that  they  simply  make  a  point  of  concealing  what 
they  think. — Who  is  the  other  one,  father  ?  " 

"  Monsieur  Clairval." 

"  I  am  very  fond  of  him ;  he  isn't  complimentary,  at  all 
events,  and  yet  that  doesn't  prevent  his  being  agreeable. 
He  has  plenty  of  wit,  and  doesn't  flaunt  it  in  everybody's 
face.  I  do  like  that  so  much — wit  that  doesn't  parade 
itself!" 

"  But,  my  child,  if  one  has  wit  without  showing  it,  I 
should  say  that  it  was  precisely  equivalent  to  having 
none  at  all." 

"  Oh !  it  always  leaks  out,  father,  here  and  there,  even 
if  it's  only  in  the  smile." 


I46  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  I  just  missed  inviting  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  too." 

"  Oh !  papa,  how  fortunate  it  is  that  you  missed  it !  " 

"  Why  so,  pray  ?  The  count  is  very  pleasant.  He's 
a  very  distinguished  man  in  all  respects." 

"  I  don't  say  that  he  isn't,  but  for  a  count  we  should 
have  had  to  make  preparations ;  and  then,  he  has  been 
coming  to  see  us  quite  often  of  late." 

"  And  that  bores  you  ?  " 

"  It  doesn't  amuse  me  overmuch." 

"  My  dear  girl,  I  hoped,  by  inviting  a  friend  or  two  to 
dinner,  to  brighten  you  up,  to  give  you  a  little  diversion; 
for  you  have  looked  as  if  you  weren't  feeling  well  for 
some  time.  Tell  me,  are  you  sick  ?  " 

"Why,  no,  dear  father;  I  am  not  sick,  I  am  not  in 
pain.  I  assure  you  that  I  am  in  my  ordinary  condition." 

"  Good !  so  much  the  better !  Still,  it  seems  to  me 
that  you're  a  little  changed." 

"  Oh !  you  know  one  has  days — when  the  autumn 
comes. — And  you  didn't  invite  Fanny  and  her  husband, 
while  you  were  in  the  mood  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  did.  I  was  going  to  their  house  when  I  met 
Auguste.  But  they  can't  come;  they  are  going  to  a 
grand  dinner.  Nothing  but  festivities,  gorgeous  parties!" 

"  All  the  better !  it  amuses  Fanny ;  she's  so  fond  of  all 
that  sort  of  thing !  " 

"True,  true!  Fanny  is  leading  the  life  she  used  to 
dream  of;  she  ought  to  be  happy.  But  it  seems  to  me  that 
her  husband  has  been  in  rather  a  gloomy  mood  lately ; 
he  always  has  such  a  startled,  preoccupied  manner ;  and 
when  you  speak  to  him,  he  hardly  listens  to  you." 

"  I  think  that  you're  mistaken,  father ;  Fanny's  hus- 
band isn't  of  an  expansive  nature ;  his  manner  is  cold, 
a  little  haughty,  perhaps." 


A   MAIDEN'S  REVERIES  147 

"  Yes,  I  know  it ;  but  he  likes  to  cut  a  brilliant  figure, 
to  dazzle  other  people  by  his  magnificence ;  and  that 
sometimes  carries  a  man  too  far." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  told  that  he  is  speculating  heavily  on 
the  Bourse." 

"  If  he  has  the  means  to  do  it,  it's  all  right ;  he  must 
know  what  he's  about." 

"  Batonnin  was  telling  me  just  now  that  Monleard 
must  have  lost  a  great  deal  of  money  by  the  failure — 
or  the  flight,  I  don't  quite  know  which  it  was — of  one 
Morissel." 

"Ah!  Monsieur  Batonnin  told  you  that?  I  notice 
that  disagreeable  news  is  generally  brought  by  smiling 
faces  and  honeyed  words." 

"  I  prefer  to  believe  that  my  son-in-law's  fortune  has 
not  sustained  such  a  serious  loss." 

"  After  all,  father,  in  business  a  man  can't  always  make 
money,  can  he  ?  " 

"Hoity-toity!  here  you  are  talking  almost  as  well  as 
your  sister. — By  the  way,  I  met  Monsieur  Grandcourt 
too." 

"  Monsieur  Grandcourt  ?  " 

"  Well,  well !  what's  the  matter  now  ?  You're  as  pale 
as  a  ghost.  Don't  you  feel  well  ?  " 

"  Yes,  father.  I  am  all  right,  I  promise  you.  What 
did  Monsieur  Grandcourt  have  to  say  ? " 

"  Oh !  he  doesn't  speculate !  He's  a  prudent,  intelli- 
gent man.  He  does  an  excellent  business.  His  house  is 
prosperous  and  is  extending  its  connections  every  day." 

"  And  his  nephew — that  poor  Monsieur  Gustave — did 
he  tell  you  anything  about  him  ?  " 

"  He  is  still  in  Spain." 


I48  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  But  when  is  he  coming  back  ?  If  he  should  come 
to  see  us — would  that  annoy  you  ?  " 

"  My  dear  Adolphine,  in  the  first  place,  after  what  has 
happened,  it's  not  at  all  likely  that  Gustave  will  ever 
come  to  our  house  again.  That  young  man  was  in  love 
with  your  sister.  For  a  moment,  he  hoped  that  she 
would  accept  him  for  her  husband,  then  his  hopes  were 
disappointed.  He  saw  Fanny  take  Monleard  in  prefer- 
ence to  him,  and  he  must  have  suffered  doubly — in  his 
love  and  in  his  self-esteem.  What  do  you  suppose  he 
will  come  to  our  house  again  for  ? — in  search  of  mem- 
ories, of  regrets  ?  No,  our  company  would  have  no 
charms  for  him  now." 

"  Ah !  so  you  think,  father,  that  our  company  would 
no  longer  be  agreeable  to  him?  But  he  was  much 
attached  to  you." 

"  As  the  father  of  the  young  lady  whose  husband  he 
wished  to  be ;  I  know  all  about  that." 

"  But,  still,  if  he  should  come  here,  it  seems  to  me 
that  it  would  be  very  discourteous  to  send  him  away, 
to  receive  him  unkindly." 

"  Without  being  unkind  to  him,  you  could  easily  make 
him  understand  that  his  presence  here  may  be  very 
embarrassing;  that  he  may  meet  your  sister  and  her 
husband  here ;  that  Monleard  may  have  learned  of  his 
love  for  Fanny;  and  that  it  would  be  better,  therefore, 
for  him  not  to  come  again.  But,  I  say  once  more,  you 
will  not  have  to  tell  him  all  that ;  for  I  am  very  certain, 
myself,  that  he  has  no  intention  of  coming  here." 

"  Poor  Gustave ! "  said  Adolphine  to  herself,  as  she 
left  the  room ;  "  father  doesn't  want  him  to  come  here 
any  more !  What,  in  heaven's  name,  would  he  say  if 
he  knew  about  that  duel  ?  Then  it  would  surely  be : 


A   SOFT-SPOKEN  GENTLEMAN  149 

'  I  don't  want  to  see  him  in  my  house  again ! ' — Luckily 
he  thinks,  like  everybody  else,  that  Auguste's  injury  was 
the  result  of  a  fall  on  the  stairs.  But  I  suppose  father 
is  right,  and  Gustave  will  never  come  here ;  I  shall  never 
see  him  again ! " 

The  girl  put  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes  once  more, 
then  went  in  search  of  Madeleine,  her  maid,  a  young  girl 
from  Picardy,  who  did  not  know  Gustave,  because  she 
did  not  enter  Monsieur  Gerbault's  service  until  after  his 
eldest  daughter's  marriage.  Madeleine  was  very  fond  of 
her  mistress ;  she  saw  that  she  was  unhappy,  and  often 
said  to  her: 

"  Mon  Dieu !  mamzelle,  when  shall  I  see  you  happy 
and  gay,  as  you  ought  to  be  at  your  age  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  am  very  happy,  Madeleine,"  replied  Adol- 
phine,  forcing  back  a  sigh.  Whereat  the  Picarde  mur- 
mured, with  a  shrug  of  her  shoulders : 

"  Oh  !  nenni !  I  can  see  well  enough  that  you  always 
have  something  inside  that  keeps  you  from  laughing ! " 


XXII 

A  SOFT-SPOKEN  GENTLEMAN 

The  guests  were  punctual ;  the  dinner  was  voted  ex- 
cellent. Monsieur  Batonnin  ate  for  four,  but  was  not 
thereby  prevented  from  praising  each  dish,  adding  com- 
pliments for  the  host,  for  the  young  lady  of  the  house, 
and  even  for  the  cook ;  if  there  had  been  a  cat  or  a  dog, 
it  is  probable  that  it  would  have  come  in  for  its  share  in 
that  distribution  of  flattering  speeches. 


I5o  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

At  dessert,  the  conversation  fell  upon  the  newly  mar- 
ried couple,  Monsieur  Gerbault  expressing  his  regret  that 
they  had  been  unable  to  come  to  dinner. 

"Yes,  they  make  a  charming  couple,"  said  Batonnin, 
with  his  inevitable  smile.  "  Can  Monsieur  Monleard  use 
his  right  arm  now?  " 

"  Yes  ;  it  is  entirely  well.  It  took  a  long  while,  for  a 
mere  fall  on  the  stairs." 

"Ha!  ha!  a  fall  on  the  stairs!  Ha!  ha!  Mon- 
sieur Gerbault  says  that  as  if  he  really  believed  it. 
Ha!  ha!" 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? "  retorted  Monsieur 
Gerbault,  who  understood  neither  Monsieur  Batonnin's 
words  nor  the  malicious  tone  in  which  he  uttered  them ; 
whereas  Adolphine  changed  color,  fearing  that  her  father 
might  learn  the  truth.  Monsieur  Clairval  alone  seemed 
indifferent  to  what  was  going  on ;  but  he  glanced  at  the 
soft-spoken  guest  with  an  expression  which  said  plainly 
enough : 

"  In  my  opinion,  that  was  a  very  stupid  remark  of 
yours." 

Monsieur  Batonnin  smiled  on,  as  he  replied : 

"  Come,  come,  Monsieur  Gerbault,  you  know  perfectly 
well  that  your  son-in-law's  wound  was  caused  by  a  sword- 
thrust,  which  he  received  in  a  duel.  He  preferred  not 
to  tell  people  that  he  had  fought,  especially  because — 
because I  know  the  reason." 

"  Why,  monsieur,  that  isn't  at  all  probable ! "  cried 
Adolphine.  "  If  my  sister's  husband  had  fought  a  duel, 
I  should  certainly  know  it,  and " 

"  Why  so,  my  dear  young  lady  ?  If  he  has  concealed 
it  from  Monsieur  Gerbault,  he  may  well  have  concealed  it 
from  you,  too." 


A   SOFT-SPOKEN  GENTLEMAN  151 

"  Be  kind  enough,  monsieur,  to  explain  yourself  more 
clearly,"  said  Monsieur  Gerbault,  whose  face  had  become 
very  serious ;  "  if  my  son-in-law  has  had  a  duel,  I  knew 
nothing  about  it,  I  tell  you  again ;  now,  if  you  have  any 
definite  information  on  the  subject,  be  good  enough  to 
impart  it  to  me;  it  seems  to  me  that  I  ought  to  be  at 
least  as  well  informed  as  a  stranger,  upon  such  a  matter." 

"  Mon  Dieu !  my  dear  monsieur,  I  learned  of  it  by 
chance  two  days  ago.  I  met  Madame  Delbois,  who  was 
at  your  daughter's  wedding,  and  who  left  the  ball  at  the 
same  time  that  she  did.  So,  as  you  will  see,  they  were 
in  the  hall  at  the  same  time,  waiting  for  their  carriages." 

"  I  don't  see  yet  what  connection  there  is  between  that 
fact  and  a  duel." 

"  One  moment — we  are  coming  to  it.  While  the  ladies 
were  waiting,  a  person  of  unprepossessing  aspect  came 
out  of  the  restaurant.  He  was  just  behind  Madame 
Delbois  when  she  said  to  one  of  her  friends :  '  There 
goes  the  bride ;  she's  going  away  early.' — Thereupon, 
this  person — of  unprepossessing  aspect — had  the  effron- 
tery to  exclaim  in  a  loud  voice But,  really,  if  you 

know  nothing  of  the  episode,  I  am  afraid  that,  if  I  go  any 
further,  I  may  say  something  that  it  would  be  unpleasant 
for  you  to  hear." 

"  If  what  you  have  to  tell  Monsieur  Gerbault  is  likely 
to  be  unpleasant  for  him  to  hear,"  interposed  Monsieur 
Clairval,  "  it  seems  to  me,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  that  you 
would  have  done  much  better  to  say  nothing  at  all  on 
the  subject.  As  Monsieur  Monleard  concealed  the  fact 
that  he  had  had  a  duel,  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  he 
feared  that  it  would  displease  his  father-in-law;  and, 
frankly,  it  isn't  decent  of  you  to  come  here  and  volunteer 
to  tell  something  that  nobody  asked  you  to  tell." 


IS2  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Monsieur  Gerbault  just  asked  me 
to  tell  him  what  I  knew." 

"  Go  on,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  finish  your  story,  I  beg ; 
what  did  this  person  say,  whom  Madame  Delbois  over- 
heard ?  " 

"  Your  son-in-law  heard  him,  too,  and  that  is  what  led 
to  the  challenge.  However,  I  simply  repeat  what  Ma- 
dame Delbois  told  me.  I  wasn't  there ;  I  was  dancing 
at  that  moment." 

"Well,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  this  man  said ?" 

"  I  give  you  my  word  of  honor,  my  dear  Monsieur 
Gerbault,  that  it  gives  me  the  greatest  pain  to  repeat  his 
detestable  words.  I  am  very  sorry  that  I  mentioned  it ; 
I  did  it  quite  innocently " 

"  Oh !  finish,  for  heaven's  sake !  " 

"  That  man  exclaimed,  when  he  caught  sight  of  the 
bride  :  '  Ah !  there's  the  faithless  Fanny ! '  " 

Monsieur  Clairval  began  to  laugh,  and  Monsieur  Ger- 
bault deemed  it  the  wiser  plan  to  do  the  same ;  Adolphine 
decided  to  imitate  them,  and  Monsieur  Batonnin,  who  ex- 
pected to  produce  a  startling  effect,  looked  very  sheepish 
when  he  saw  them  all  laughing. 

"Ah !  that  strikes  you  as  amusing,  does  it?"  he  faltered. 

"  Mon  Dieu !  Monsieur  Batonnin,  with  all  your  hesi- 
tation and  holding  back,  I  thought  that  you  were  going 
to  tell  us  something  scandalous.  Frankly,  it  seems  to 
me  that  those  words,  from  the  mouth  of  a  man  who  was 
drunk,  no  doubt,  and  whose  tongue  may  have  been 
twisted,  did  not  deserve  such  a  long  preamble " 

"  Your  son-in-law  didn't  think  as  you  do,  apparently ; 
for  he  rushed  after  the  fellow,  and  they  exchanged  cards." 

"  Did  Madame  Delbois  see  that  also  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes." 


A    GAME   OF  BEZIQUE  153 

"  How  does  it  happen  that  that  lady,  who  is  evidently 
very  fond  of  talking,  has  not  delivered  herself  before  this 
of  things  that  took  place  more  than  six  weeks  ago  ?  " 

"  That's  easily  explained :  she  left  Paris  for  the  coun- 
try the  next  morning,  and  didn't  return  until  the  day 
before  yesterday." 

"  Oh !  you  needn't  tell  me  that ! — Come,  let  us  go  and 
have  some  coffee." 

"  Look  you,  my  dear  Batonnin,"  said  Monsieur  Clairval, 
laughing  heartily,  "  your  news  fell  rather  flat.  It's  a  pity, 
isn't  it  ?  " 

Batonnin  bit  his  lips,  and,  strange  to  say,  did  not  smile. 


XXIII 

A  GAME  OF  BEZIQUE 

They  had  just  finished  their  coffee,  when  the  Comte  de 
la  Beriniere  was  announced. 

"  I  come  early,  you  see.  I  made  haste  to  get  rid  of  the 
person  with  whom  I  dined,"  said  the  count,  kissing  Adol- 
phine's  hand,  who  seemed  little  flattered  by  the  attention. 

"  That  is  very  good  of  you ;  in  return,  we  will  have  a 
game  of  bezique  for  your  benefit." 

"  Oh !  by  and  by ;  I  will  venture  to  request  made- 
moiselle to  give  us  a  little  music  first.  When  one  has 
once  heard  her  sing,  one  has  but  one  desire,  and  that  is 
to  hear  her  again." 

"  If  it  will  give  you  any  pleasure,  monsieur I  have 

not  enough  talent  to  require  to  be  asked  more  than  once." 

"  That  is  to  say,  you  are  always  charming." 


154  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  The  rest  of  us,  who  are  not  music-mad  like  Monsieur 
de  la  Beriniere,  will  play  a  three-handed  game  of  bezique. 
You  play,  don't  you,  Clairval  ?  " 

"  I  do  whatever  you  please." 

"  And  you,  Monsieur  Batonnin  ?  " 

"  It  will  be  no  less  flattering  than  agreeable  to  me  to 
have  the  privilege  of  playing  with  you.  But  I  think  that 
three-handed  bezique  is  less  interesting  than  two-handed." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  ;  it  is  even  more  interesting." 

Adolphine  took  her  place  at  the  piano,  and  the  count 
seated  himself  beside  it,  darting  burning  glances  at  the 
girl,  which  she  did  her  utmost  to  avoid. 

Batonnin,  who  had  taken  a  seat  at  the  card-table,  kept 
turning  his  head  to  look  toward  the  piano,  in  order  to 
see  what  was  going  on  there,  and  to  try  to  hear  what  was 
being  said. 

"  Shall  we  play  with  four  packs  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  we  must  take  out  two  eights,  so  that  the 
cards  will  come  out  even  at  the  end." 

"  Very  good ;  and  how  many  cards  do  you  deal  ?  " 

"  Eight  to  each." 

"  Some  people  deal  nine." 

"  That  makes  it  too  easy." 

"  What's  the  game  ?  " 

"  Fifteen  hundred." 

"  And  the  stakes  ?  " 

"  Whatever  you  please,  messieurs ;  what  shall  it  be  ?  " 

"  We  don't  want  to  ruin  ourselves ;  say,  two  francs  each." 

"  Two  francs  it  is." 

"  I  have  seen  people  play  for  five  hundred  francs  a 
game,"  said  Batonnin. 

"  The  deuce !  that's  flying  rather  high.  But  when 
a  man's  very  rich " 


A    GAME   OF  BEZIQUE  155 

"  Oh !  it  isn't  always  the  richest  men  who  play  for  the 
biggest  stakes — rather,  those  who  want  to  pass  themselves 
off  for  millionaires,  and  who  are  in  need  of  money." 

"  Our  excellent  Monsieur  Batonnin,  with  all  his  air  of 
indifference,  seems  to  observe  everything." 

"  I  ?  Oh !  dear  me,  no !  I  say  that  because  I've  heard 
someone  else  say  it." 

"  I  declare  four  aces ! " 

"  That's  a  good  beginning." 

"  I  remember  now  that  it's  Monsieur  Monleard  whom 
I  have  seen  play  bezique  for  five  hundred  francs  a  game." 

"  My  son-in-law  ?  Oh !  you  must  be  mistaken ;  he 
doesn't  play  so  high  as  that." 

"  I  beg  a  thousand  pardons,  but  it  was  he.  There's 
nothing  remarkable  about  that,  for  he  plays  whist  at  his 
club  for  a  hundred  francs  a  point." 

"He  has  assured  me  that  he  doesn't  go  to  his  club 
now." 

"  I  have  that  fact  from  someone  who  played  with  him, 
less  than  a  week  ago." 

"  Come,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  its  your  turn ;  pray  attend 
to  the  game." 

"  I  am  attending,  my  dear  Monsieur  Gerbault ;  I  am 
paying  the  closest  attention.  Ah !  that's  a  very  pretty 
thing  Mademoiselle  Adolphine  is  singing ! " 

"  Double  bezique !  " 

"  There,  you  have  let  Monsieur  Clairval  make  five 
hundred ! " 

"  I  couldn't  prevent  him,  could  I  ?  " 

"  Certainly  you  could :  there  were  only  three  tricks 
left,  and  you  had  two  aces  of  trumps." 

"  Well !  that  makes  only  two  tricks." 

"  I  would  have  taken  the  third  with  my  ace." 


156  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  Ah !  so  you  think  we  could  have  prevented  monsieur 
from  counting  his  five  hundred  ?  " 

"That's  plain  enough.  I  don't  see  that  you're  any 
stronger  at  this  game  than  at  whist." 

"  I  certainly  wouldn't  play  for  five  hundred  francs  a 
game,  like  your  son-in-law !  But  I  didn't  know  that  there 
was  any  skill  in  bezique ;  I  thought  it  was  all  luck." 

"  You  see  that  it  isn't !  Indeed,  any  game  can  be  played 
well  or  ill." 

"  Even  lotto  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  you  can  forget  to  count." 

Adolphine  was  singing  a  second  selection,  when  Ana- 
tole  de  Raincy  was  announced. 

The  arrival  of  the  young  man  with  the  lisp  interrupted 
the  music,  and  seemed  greatly  to  annoy  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere,  who  decided  thereupon  to  visit  the  card-table. 
The  game  was  finished,  and  Monsieur  Clairval  had  won. 

"  Take  my  place,"  said  Monsieur  Gerbault  to  the  count. 

"  Thanks,  but  I  never  play  bezique  with  more  than  two." 

"  Play  with  Monsieur  Batonnin,  then ;  I  will  play  a 
game  of  chess  with  Clairval,  if  it's  agreeable  to  him." 

"  Anything  is  agreeable  to  me." 

"  Unless  Monsieur  de  Raincy  would  like  to  play  whist 
with  a  dummy." 

"  Oh !  I  thank  you,  but  I  don't  care  about  playing ;  I 
much  prefer  to  thing  with  Mademoithelle  Adolphine,  if 
that  ith  agreeable  to  her." 

"  It  will  give  me  great  pleasure,  monsieur." 

"  I  have  brought  a  few  thongth,  which  I  thing  pathably 
— tholoth  and  dueth. — You  play  everything  at  thight, 
I  know  ?  " 

"  I  will  try,  at  all  events,  monsieur ;  and  if  they're  not 
too  hard " 


A    GAME   OF  BEZIQUE  157 

"  Here'th  the  aria  from  La  Dame  Blanche.  I  can  thing 
that ;  it  ith  in  the  range  of  my  voith." 

"  Very  good !     I  will  play  your  accompaniment." 

"  If  that  young  man  sings  as  he  talks,"  muttered 
Batonnin,  with  an  affable  smile  at  the  count,  who  had 
taken  his  place  opposite  him,  "  it  wiH  produce  a  strange 
effect." 

"  He  would  do  much  better  to  let  us  listen  to  Made- 
moiselle Adolphine." 

"  Oh !  yes,  she  has  a  voice " 

"  Shall  we  play  for  two  thousand  ?  " 

"  That  goes  to  the  heart,  monsieur." 

"  And  we  play  with  four  packs." 

"Very  well. — But  there  are  some  men  who  have  a 
perfect  mania  for  singing." 

"  And  who  often  sing  false — as,  for  instance I  de- 
clare four  queens ! " 

While  these  gentlemen  played,  Anatole  shouted  at  the 
top  of  his  voice : 

"  '  Come,  lady  fair ;  I  await  thee,  I  await  thee,  I  await  thee! '  " 

"  That  is  horrible !  "  said  the  count. 

"  It  sounds  like  the  hissing  of  a  railroad  train  when  it 
stops." 

"  I  have  a  sequence !  " 

"  It  seems  that  we  are  not  to  see  Madame  Monleard 
and  her  husband  this  evening  ?  " 

"  No ;  they  have  gone  to  some  grand  affair. — I  declare 
a  single  bezique !  " 

"Ah!  Monleard  doesn't  propose  that  his  little  wife 
shall  be  bored ;  they  are  going  to  parties  all  the  time." 

"Yes;  if  only  it  will  last. — I  declare  four  kings — 
eighty!" 


158  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  And  why  shouldn't  it  last  ? — Mon  Dieu  !  how  that 
fellow  makes  my  ears  ache  with  his  '  I  await  thee  !  I 
await  thee ! ' — I  am  sorry  for  Mademoiselle  Adolphine." 

"  Haven't  you  heard,  monsieur  le  comte, — a  simple 
marriage  in  diamonds, — that  Monsieur  Monleard  was 
speculating  on  the  Bourse  in  a — another  marriage,  clubs 
this  time — in  a  terrific  way  ?  " 

"  Faith !  no. — Why,  I  am  not  counting  at  all.  It's 
that  infernal  singer's  fault ! " 

"  I  have  been  told  for  a  fact  that  he  has  lost  a  lot  of 
money  lately." 

"  We  must  never  believe  more  than  half  of  what  we're 
told,  you  know." 

"  Double  bezique  !  " 

"  Deuce  take  it !  how  you  are  beating  me !  Ah ! 
they're  singing  a  duet  now ;  we  shall  hear  Mademoiselle 
Adolphine,  at  all  events.  If  she  could  only  drown  that 
fellow's  voice ! " 

"  I  have  made  eleven  hundred  on  this  deal." 

"And  I  a  hundred  and  twenty.  I  am  a  long  way 
behind.  Do  we  count  the  fifteen  hundred  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure ;  when  you  get  three  beziques,  they  count 
fifteen  hundred.  But,  in  order  to  count  them,  you  must 
still  have  the  first  two  in  hand." 

"Yes,  yes,  I  know  that.  What  is  it  they're  singing 
now  ?  Something  else  from  La  Dame  Blanche,  I  think." 

"  It's  your  play,  monsieur  le  comte." 

"  Yes,  so  it  is ;  I  beg  your  pardon.  It's  that  man's 
voice  that  confuses  me,  or  rather  stuns  me.  Oh !  what 
a  squealer !  Poor  girl !  she  has  a  stock  of  patience." 

"  I  declare  a  royal  marriage !  " 

"  You  are  counting  all  the  time,  Monsieur  Batonnin ; 
you  are  very  lucky  to  be  able  to  attend  to  your  game." 


A    GAME    OF  BEZIQUE  159 

"  I  try  not  to  listen. — Single  bezique ! " 
It  was  difficult  not  to  hear  the  young  singer,  who  at  that 
moment  was  shouting,  with  all  the  force  of  his  lungs : 

"  'Thith  hand,  thith  hand  tho  lovely!'  " 

At  last,  the  duet  being  at  an  end,  Adolphine  declared 
that  she  was  tired,  and  left  the  piano. 

"  I  can  well  believe  that  she's  tired ! "  said  Monsieur 
de  la  Beriniere ;  "  she  might  well  be,  for  less  than  that. 
To  play  that  fellow's  accompaniments — to  sing  with  him  ! 
what  a  wicked  task  !  " 

"  I  have  won,  monsieur  le  comte  !  " 

"  Very  good !  give  me  my  revenge.  I  can  pay  more 
attention  to  the  game,  now  that  I  don't  hear  that  hissing 
voice ;  he's  a  veritable  serpent,  is  that  young  man." 

But  Monsieur  de  Raincy  had  seated  himself  beside 
Adolphine,  and  he  talked  to  her  while  the  others  played. 
Naturally,  they  spoke  in  undertones,  in  order  not  to  dis- 
turb the  players.  This  conversation,  of  which  he  could 
not  catch  a  single  word,  seemed  to  annoy  the  count  even 
more  than  the  music;  and  Batonnin  made  the  most  of 
his  opponent's  distraction  and  misplays,  while  saying  to 
him  in  a  wheedling  tone  : 

"  Monsieur  le  comte  isn't  in  luck  to-night. — I  declare 
a  sequence ! " 

"  It's  true,  I  am  absent-minded. — Well,  Mademoiselle 
Adolphine,  have  you  stopped  singing  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  no,  monsieur ;  I  am  resting." 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  take  care,"  said  Batonnin ;  "  you'll 
suggest  to  that  young  man  the  idea  of  beginning  again  ! " 

"  Why,  no ;  I  am  talking  to  Mademoiselle  Gerbault.  I 
am  sure  that  Monsieur  de  Raincy  is  boring  her  at  this 
moment.  I  would  like  to  rid  her  of  him." 


160  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  Bezique ! — You  think  she's  bored  ?  But  you  may  be 
mistaken — he's  a  very  good-looking  fellow,  is  Monsieur 
de  Raincy. — Four  aces !  " 

"  Ah  !  upon  my  word  !  If  he's  a  good-looking  fellow 
— with  that  stupid,  idiotic,  conceited  air !  " 

"  He  has  a  good  figure. — Double  bezique !  " 

"  Sapristi !  you  never  fail  to  get  that. — And  that  pro- 
nunciation of  his — do  you  think  that's  pretty,  too  ?  " 

"  Not  in  singing,  at  all  events. — Take  your  card,  if  you 
please,  monsieur  le  comte  !  " 

"  Ah !  to  be  sure. — I  was  not  paying  attention.  Whose 
play  is  it  ?  " 

"  Mine. — I  have  the  honor  of  winning  again.  I  have 
triple  bezique — fifteen  hundred ! " 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  " 

"  Look  for  yourself." 

"  Well !  I  am  not  sorry  it's  over.  I  am  not  at  all  in 
the  mood  for  cards  to-night." 


XXIV 

MARRIAGE  PROPOSALS 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  left  the  table  and  went  to 
talk  with  Adolphine ;  she,  no  less  indifferent  to  the  gal- 
lant speeches  of  the  old  count  than  to  young  Anatole's 
compliments,  was  equally  amiable  to  both ;  for  neither 
of  them  diverted  her  thoughts  for  a  moment,  and  it  is 
easy  to  be  amiable  when  the  heart  is  not  involved. 

The  party  broke  up  at  last;  but,  before  taking  their  leave, 
the  count  and  Monsieur  de  Raincy  in  turn  exchanged  a 


MARRIAGE  PROPOSALS  161 

few  words  in  undertones  with  Monsieur  Gerbault ;  which 
proceeding  aroused  Monsieur  Batonnin's  curiosity  to  such 
an  extent,  that  he  went  in  the  direction  of  the  kitchen 
instead  of  toward  the  street-door. 

"  It's  your  turn  to  be  absent-minded,  I  see,"  observed 
Monsieur  Clairval,  satirically. 

"  Oh !  not  at  all ;  I  made  a  mistake  in  the  door ;  that 
may  happen  to  anybody.  Perhaps  you  thought  that  I 
had  something  to  whisper  to  Monsieur  Gerbault,  like 
those  two  ahead  of  us  ?  " 

"  Ah !  so  they  whispered  to  our  friend  Gerbault,  did 
they  ?  I  confess  that  I  didn't  notice  it,  and,  furthermore, 
that  it's  a  matter  of  indifference  to  me." 

"  And  to  me,  too,  of  course ;  although  I  have  an  idea 
that  I  can  guess  what  they  had  to  say  to  Mademoiselle 
Adolphine's  father." 

"  Ah  !  you  have  an  idea  ?  The  deuce !  do  you  possess 
the  art  of  divination,  then  ?  " 

"  One  needn't  be  a  sorcerer  to  divine  certain  things. — 
Do  you  want  me  to  tell  you  my  conjectures  ?  " 

"  No,  I  thank  you,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  keep  them  to 
yourself;  I  don't  appreciate  conjectures;  I  like  official 
facts  only.  Good-night !  " 

"That  means  that  he  is  vexed  because  he  hasn't 
guessed  it,"  said  Batonnin  to  himself,  as  they  separated. 
"  For  my  part,  I  would  bet — six  francs  to  twenty — that 
young  De  Raincy  and  old  De  la  Beriniere  are  in  love 
with  the  charming  Adolphine ;  and  I  would  also  bet — 
twenty  francs  to  thirty — that  the  girl  doesn't  care  for 
either  of  them.  So  much  the  better  for  me !  I  have  all 
the  more  chance.  Let  us  wait,  let  us  let  the  mutton  boil, 
as  the  common  saying  goes.  That's  an  old  proverb ;  and 
I  am  like  Sancho,  I  love  proverbs." 


162  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

Adolphine  also  had  noticed  her  father's  brief  aside  with 
the  count  and  with  De  Raincy.  When  all  the  guests  had 
gone,  she  went  to  him,  and  said  with  a  smile : 

"  So  those  gentlemen  have  secrets  with  you,  have  they, 
father  ?  for  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  and  then  Monsieur 
Anatole,  whispered  to  you  in  a  corner." 

"  Faith!  my  dear  girl,  as  yet  I  have  no  more  idea  than 
you  what  they  have  to  say  to  me ;  but  each  of  them 
asked  me  for  an  appointment  to-morrow,  having  a  very 
important  matter  to  discuss  with  me.  I  said  to  Mon- 
sieur de  Raincy  :  '  I  shall  expect  you  at  eleven  o'clock ; ' 
and  to  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere :  '  You  will  find  me  at 
home  at  one ; '  so  I  suppose  that,  at  three  or  four  o'clock 
to-morrow,  I  shall  be  able  to  gratify  your  curiosity,  and 

to  tell  you  what  those  gentlemen  have  confided  to  me 

Unless  it  concerns  serious  matters,  which  one  doesn't  tell 
to  little  girls ;  but  I  fancy  not." 

"You  fancy  not? — Do  you  mean  that  you  suspect 
what  it  is,  father  ?  " 

"  Why — bless  my  soul ! — but,  after  all,  as  they  will  tell 
me  to-morrow,  it's  useless  to  indulge  in  conjectures. 
Ah!  there's  something  which  interests  me  much  more 
than  that." 

"  What  is  it,  father  ?  " 

"  The  duel  that  Batonnin  told  us  about.  I  pretended, 
before  him,  not  to  put  any  faith  in  what  he  said ;  but,  if 
all  that  he  told  us  is  true,  why,  your  sister's  husband 
didn't  hurt  himself  by  falling  on  the  stairs — and  it  must 
have  been  Gustave  with  whom  he  fought." 

"  Oh,  no,  father,  no ;  I  give  you  my  word  that  it  wasn't 
Gustave." 

"Aha!  so  you  know  the  truth, do  you?  and  you  never 
told  me  anything  about  it  ?  " 


MARRIAGE  PROPOSALS  163 

"  Fanny  and  her  husband  didn't  want  it  to  become 
known,  and  she  made  me  promise  not  to  mention  it  to 
you." 

"  But  tell  me  whom  Auguste  did  fight  with  ?  " 

"  With  a  man  who  was  drunk,  and  who  didn't  know 
what  he  was  saying — that's  the  whole  of  it.  And  Au- 
guste didn't  attach  the  slightest  importance  to  it." 

"  Very  good !  I  hope  he  didn't ;  but  I  am  convinced,  none 
the  less,  that  Gustave  was  mixed  up  in  it  in  some  way,  and 
I  repeat  what  I  have  said  to  you  before :  that  young  man 
must  never  come  here  again  ! — Good-night,  my  dear!" 

"  Good-night,  father !  " 

Adolphine  retired  to  her  own  room ;  the  two  appoint- 
ments with  her  father,  solicited  by  two  men  who  had 
persecuted  her  with  their  attentions  during  the  evening, 
caused  her  a  vague  feeling  of  uneasiness ;  a  secret  pre- 
sentiment told  her  that  she  would  be  the  subject  of  the 
interviews  to  be  held  on  the  morrow,  and  she  was  im- 
patient to  know  whether  her  fears  were  justified. 

The  next  day,  Adolphine  did  not  leave  her  room,  in 
order  to  avoid  meeting  the  two  gentlemen  who  had  ap- 
pointments with  her  father.  At  precisely  eleven  o'clock 
she  heard  the  bell,  and  honest  Madeleine  came  and  said 
to  her : 

"  It's  the  tall  young  man  who  sang  with  you  last 
night,  mamzelle ;  he  asked  for  monsieur  your  father,  and 
he's  with  him  now." 

"  Very  well,  Madeleine ;  if  he  should  happen  to  ask 
for  me,  you  must  tell  him  that  I  have  a  headache  and 
cannot  leave  my  room." 

"  I  understand,  mamzelle." 

"And  come  and  tell  me  when  he  has  gone." 

"  Yes,  mamzelle." 


164  MONSIEUR   CHER  AM  I 

Adolphine  counted  the  minutes ;  but  Anatole  had  not 
gone  when  the  clock  struck  twelve.  She  lost  her  pa- 
tience ;  she  said  to  herself: 

"  What  can  that  man  have  to  say  to  father,  that  takes 
such  a  long  time  ?  For  a  young  man,  he's  very  talka- 
tive. If  he  doesn't  go  soon,  he'll  meet  the  count.  But, 
after  all,  it  makes  no  difference  to  me." 

At  last,  about  half-past  twelve,  Monsieur  de  Raincy 
took  his  leave.  Madeleine  came  to  inform  her  young 
mistress,  and  she  was  on  the  point  of  going  to  her  father, 
when  the  bell  rang  again. 

It  was  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere.  He  had  come  ahead  of 
time,  but  he  was  at  once  ushered  into  Monsieur  Gerbault's 
study.  Madeleine  informed  Adolphine  of  his  arrival,  and 
received  the  same  orders  as  before,  in  case  the  count 
should  ask  permission  to  pay  his  respects  to  her  mistress. 

This  second  interview  was  much  shorter;  Monsieur 
de  la  Beriniere  went  away  before  one  o'clock.  There- 
upon, Monsieur  Gerbault  went  up  to  his  daughter's 
room,  with  a  gratified  air,  and  rubbing  his  hands — a  sign 
of  satisfaction  common  to  all  nations.  Why  ?  No  one 
has  ever  been  able  to  find  out. 

"  Well,  father?  "  murmured  Adolphine,  in  a  voice  which 
betrayed  some  slight  emotion  ;  "  did  both  of  them  come  ?" 

"  Yes,  my  dear  girl.  Oh !  they  were  very  prompt ; 
indeed  the  count  was  a  little  ahead  of  time ;  that's  easily 
understood :  the  oldest  are  always  in  the  greatest  hurry." 

"And  what  did  they  say  to  you?  must  you  keep  it 
secret  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed ;  since  you  were  the  sole  subject  of  both 
interviews." 

"I?" 

"  Yes;  and,  frankly,  I  had  some  suspicion. — And  you?  " 


MARRIAGE  PROPOSALS  165 

"  I — why Oh !  I  beg  you,  my  dear  father,  tell  me 

at  once  what  they  wanted  to  say  to  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  my  dear,  the  same  motive  brought  them  both ; 
they  both  came  to  ask  me  for  your  hand." 

"  My  hand  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  young  De  Raincy  said :  '  I  love 
mademoiselle  your  daughter,  she  is  an  excellent  musi- 
cian, I  adore  music,  we  will  sing  together  all  day ;  I  have 
no  profession,  but  I  have  fifteen  thousand  francs  a  year 
in  government  securities,  and  with  that  one  can  live 
comfortably  when  one  isn't  ambitious ;  and  music  is  a 
pleasure  which  necessitates  very  small  expense.  It  has 
seemed  to  me  that  Mademoiselle  Adolphine  does  not 
care  for  balls  and  great  parties,  like  her  sister ;  so  I  may 
hope  that  she  will  be  happy  with  me.  You  will  give  her 
a  dot  of  twenty  thousand  francs ;  I  know  it,  and  it's 
enough  for  me ;  I  don't  ask  for  any  more.' — So  much  for 
number  one. — Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  was  more  eager, 
more  impetuous,  in  his  suit.  '  I  adore  Mademoiselle  Adol- 
phine,' he  said, '  I  am  mad  over  her ;  her  delightful  voice 
has  turned  my  head,  and  I  renounce  my  liberty  for  her. 
Indeed,  I  believe  I  am  destined  to  enter  your  family,  for  I 
will  not  conceal  from  you  that  I  was  deeply  in  love  with 
your  other  daughter ;  but  Monleard  was  quicker  than  I, 
and  stole  her  away  from  me. — So,  this  time  I  declare 
myself  promptly,  because  I  don't  propose  that  your 
younger  daughter  shall  escape  me  as  her  sister  did ; 
unless,  of  course,  she  will  have  none  of  me ;  but  I  ven- 
ture to  hope  the  contrary ;  I  am  no  longer  in  my  first 
youth,  but  my  heart  is  as  easily  touched  as  it  was  at 
twenty.  In  short,  I  offer  your  daughter  thirty  thousand 
francs  a  year,  and  the  title  of  countess — which  always 
flatters  a  young  woman's  ear;  I  lay  these  at  her  feet,  with 


166  MONSIEUR  CHERAMI 

the  most  ardent  love.  Be  good  enough  to  communi- 
cate my  offer  to  her,  and  I  will  come  to-morrow  for  your 
answer.'  " 

"  Oh !  mon  Dieu  !  And  what  answer  did  you  make  to 
all  that,  father  ?  " 

"  My  dear  child,  the  only  answer  that  a  father  should 
make  to  honorable  men,  of  good  standing  in  society, 
who  ask  him  for  his  daughter's  hand :  '  Your  offer  flat- 
ters me,  does  me  honor,  and,  for  my  part,  I  will  interpose 
no  obstacle  to  the  fulfilment  of  your  wishes ;  but,  as 
marriage  is  an  act  which  has  a  decisive  influence  upon 
the  happiness  of  one's  whole  life,  I  have  determined  to 
allow  my  daughters  absolute  freedom  in  the  matter  of 
choosing  a  husband,  and  never  to  enforce  my  wishes  in 
opposition  to  theirs.'  " 

"  Oh !  my  dear,  good  father !  how  good  it  is  of  you, 
not  to  force  your  children  to  marry !  " 

"  Now,  my  dear  love,  it  is  for  you  to  choose.  These 
two  offers  are  equally  advantageous.  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere  makes  you  a  countess,  with  thirty  thousand 
francs  a  year — that  is  very  attractive.  To  be  sure,  he  is 
sixty  years  old,  which  lessens  the  attraction.  Monsieur 
Anatole  de  Raincy  is  not  a  count;  but  he  is  of  a  very  old 
family ;  he  has  only  fifteen  thousand  francs  a  year,  but  he 
is  only  twenty-seven,  and  that's  a  valuable  asset.  Now, 
you  are  fully  posted  as  to  these  two  aspirants  to  your 
hand.  Reflect  and  choose." 

"  Oh !  the  reflecting  is  all  done,  father !  I  want  neither 
of  them." 

"  What !  you  refuse  ?  " 

"  I  refuse  them  both." 

"  But  you  are  unreasonable,  my  child  ! — Either  of  the 
two  marriages  would  be  honorable ;  it  would  be  hard  to 


MARRIAGE  PROPOSALS  167 

find  a  better  match  in  respect  to  fortune;  indeed,  I  am 
afraid  that  you'll  never  do  so  well." 

"You  know,  don't  you,  father,  that  I  care  nothing 
about  money?" 

"  My  dear  girl,  it  isn't  well,  perhaps,  to  love  money  as 
your  sister  loves  it ;  but  it  isn't  well  to  despise  it,  either. 
It  is  a  great  help  to  happiness.  Come,  between  our- 
selves, why  do  you  refuse  both  of  these  two  offers  ?  The 
count,  I  can  understand ;  he's  too  old  for  you ;  but  Mon- 
sieur Anatole  is  young,  not  a  bad-looking  fellow " 

"  I  refuse  them,  father,  because  I  want  to  love  my  hus- 
band, and  I  shall  never  love  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  or 
Monsieur  de  Raincy." 

"  So  you  are  quite  determined,  are  you  ?  " 

"  Absolutely.  You  can  tell  them  that  I  don't  want  to 
marry  now.  A  well-bred  man  understands  that  that's  a 
polite  way  of  refusing." 

"  Very  good,  since  you  have  made  up  your  mind.  Gad ! 
you're  not  much  like  your  sister !  You  see,  she  is  rich, 
and  happy !  always  at  some  festivity,  always  enjoying 
herself!" 

"  I  don't  envy  her  happiness ;  I  should  not  be  happy 
in  the  life  she  leads." 

"  Well,  let's  say  no  more  about  it." 

Monsieur  Gerbault  left  his  daughter;  but  she  could  read 
in  his  eyes  that  he  was  not  pleased  that  she  had  refused 
the  two  eligible  husbands  who  had  offered  themselves. 
As  for  Adolphine,  she  said  to  herself: 

"  I  cannot  marry  either  of  those  men,  for  I  love  some- 
one else.  The  man  I  love  will  never  marry  me, — I  know 
that, — for  he  never  thinks  of  me !  But  I  choose  to  have 
the  right  to  think  of  him  always." 


168  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 


XXV 

GUSTAVE'S  UNCLE 

After  his  duel  with  Auguste  Monleard,  Cherami  re- 
turned to  his  lodgings,  whistling  a  polka.  He  found  his 
hostess  where  he  had  left  her,  standing  in  her  doorway. 

Madame  Louchard  was  very  inquisitive ;  it  had  stirred 
her  curiosity  to  the  highest  pitch  to  see  her  tenant  go 
away  with  the  young  exquisite  who  owned  a  cabriolet ; 
and  when  the  former  returned  alone,  she  cried : 

"  Well !  what  have  you  done  with  him  ?  " 

"  With  whom  ?  with  what  ?  " 

"Why,  with  that  elegant  gentleman  who  went  away 
with  you  on  foot, — a  strange  thing  to  do  when  he  has  a 
cabriolet  at  his  command.  You  might  just  as  well  have 
got  into  it,  both  of  you,  as  it  followed  you." 

"  It  wasn't  worth  while  to  ride ;  we  only  went  a  little 
way." 

"  Oho !  where  did  you  go  ?  " 

"  To  that  vacant  lot  over  yonder,  by  the  theatre." 

"  What  in  the  world  did  you  go  there  for  ?  Does  your 
friend  think  of  buying  the  lot  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  We  went  there  to  fight.  It's  a  very  con- 
venient place  for  that." 

"  To  fight  ?     Is  it  possible  !  " 

"  As  I  have  the  honor  to  tell  you." 

"  With  your  fists  ?  " 

"  Madame  Louchard,  you  always  imagine  that  you  are 
talking  to  the  clowns  who  are  your  usual  associates. 
Understand,  pray,  that  a  man  like  me  doesn't  fight  with 


GUSTAVE'S   UNCLE  169 

his  fists !  I  sometimes  send  the  toe  of  my  boot  into  the 
fleshy  part  of  an  upstart  who  bores  me — but  when  it's  a 
question  of  a  duel,  that's  another  affair." 

"  What  did  you  fight  with,  then  ?  " 

"  With  swords." 

"  You  didn't  have  any." 

"  That  gentleman  had  a  whole  arsenal  in  his  carriage." 

"  Mon  Dieu  !     And  which  of  you  was  killed  ?  " 

"  Why,  your  question  is  rather  beside  the  mark.  Do 
I  look  like  a  dead  man  ?  " 

"  Ah !  that's  so.  It  was  the  other  man,  then  ?  Poor 
young  man  ! " 

"  Don't  be  alarmed ;  he  isn't  dead,  and  he  won't  die. 
A  simple  wound — and  I  warned  him,  too ;  I  said  :  '  You 
strike  down  too  much  ! ' — He  fences  rather  well,  but  he 
isn't  in  my  class  yet." 

"  You  villain  !  always  in  trouble — fighting  duels.  But 
what  if  he  had  killed  you,  eh  ?  " 

"  In  that  case,  superb  Louchard,  I  should  not,  at  this 
moment,  have  the  pleasure  of  gazing  upon  your  strongly- 
marked  features." 

"  And  the  cause  of  your  duel  ?  " 

"A  trifle — a  mere  nothing — a  jest.  But  that  young 
man's  coming  prevented  me  from  breakfasting,  and  I  feel 
the  need  of  attending  to  that  important  function.  I  go 
to  my  room  to  get  my  pretty  cane  with  the  agate  head, 
and  I  fly  to  the  Vefour  of  the  Quarter.  But,  no ;  there 
isn't  one  here,  and,  as  I  wish  to  breakfast  very  well  indeed, 
I  will  go  as  far  as  Passoir's." 

"  Anyone  can  see  that  you're  in  funds." 

"  Indeed,  it  is  true,  divine  hostess." 

"  And  you  don't  leave  me  a  little  on  account." 

"  We  will  talk  of  that  later." 


I7o  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

Cherami  took  his  new  cane,  placed  his  new  hat  on  the 
side  of  his  head,  and  with  his  pockets  lined  with  the  money 
he  had  won  at  ecarte  the  night  before,  left  the  house, 
saying : 

"  I  have  my  cue !  " 

According  to  his  custom,  Cherami  spent  his  gold  pieces 
freely.  But  it  seemed  that  that  money  had  brought  him 
luck.  Being  a  great  lover  of  the  game  of  billiards,  he 
did  not  fail,  after  dinner,  to  go  and  play  pool  at  a  cafe 
where  he  knew  that  there  was  always  a  game  in  progress 
in  the  evening ;  and  for  some  days  fortune  favored  him 
so  persistently,  that  all  the  frequenters  of  the  cafe  frowned 
when  he  appeared,  muttering : 

"  Here  comes  the  pool-shark !  " 

But  one  evening  the  luck  turned;  Cherami  left  the 
cafe  with  empty  pockets. 

"  Palsambleu ! "  he  said  to  himself;  "  here  I  am  re- 
duced to  extremities  again ! — For  I  shall  not  receive  my 
quarterly  income  for  a  fortnight,  and  that  stingy  Ber- 
nardin  wouldn't  pay  me  a  single  day  in  advance.  But 
why  wouldn't  this  be  a  good  time  to  pay  a  little  visit 
to  our  young  friend  Gustave,  in  whose  behalf  I  fought 
a  duel,  and  who  has  not  even  come  to  thank  me  ?  By 
the  way,  I  think  I  didn't  give  him  my  address,  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  he  didn't  give  me  his.  But  he  lives  with 
his  Uncle  Grandcourt ;  he's  a  banker,  or  a  merchant,  no 
matter  which :  I  ought  to  find  his  address  in  the  Alma- 
nack du  Commerce.  To-morrow  I  will  obtain  it,  and  I 
will  go  and  bid  friend  Gustave  good-day.  And  if  he 
is  still  in  the  depths,  I'll  dine  with  him  again.  He  will 
tell  me  his  woes,  and  I  will  order  the  dinner.  And  at 
dessert  he  certainly  will  lend  me  a  hundred  francs  to 
carry  me  to  my  next  quarterly  payment — that  will  be 


GUSTAVE' S   UNCLE  171 

easy  to  manage.  Indeed,  I  am  convinced  that  dear  Gus- 
tave  is  surprised  at  my  non-appearance,  and  that  he  is 
looking  for  me  everywhere. — But,  to  make  up  for  my 
neglect,  I'll  not  leave  him  for  a  fortnight." 

The  next  day,  Cherami  found  Monsieur  Grandcourt's 
address,  and  lost  no  time  in  betaking  himself  thither. 
Having  arrived  at  a  handsome  house  in  Faubourg  Mont- 
martre,  he  tapped  on  the  concierge's  window  with  his 
pretty  cane. 

"  Monsieur  Grandcourt,  the  banker  ?  " 

"  His  offices  are  on  the  ground  floor,  at  the  rear,  right- 
hand  door." 

"Very  good.  Shall  I  find  Monsieur  Gustave  Darle- 
mont  in  the  office  ?  " 

"  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  " 

"  Yes,  the  banker's  nephew,  who  is  employed  by  his 
uncle." 

"  Faith !  monsieur,  I  don't  know ;  there  are  several 
clerks ;  I  don't  know  their  names." 

"  You  don't  seem  very  well  posted,  that's  a  fact.  All 
right;  I'll  go  to  the  office,  and  it's  to  be  hoped  that 
someone  will  be  able  to  answer  me  there." 

Cherami  walked  to  the  rear  of  the  building,  and  en- 
tered a  room  where  an  elderly  clerk,  half  reclining  on  a 
ledger,  was  adding  columns  of  figures. 

"  Will  you  kindly  tell  me  where  I  can  find  my  friend 
Gustave  ?  " 

The  clerk  made  no  reply,  but  continued  to  mutter : 

"  Forty-five,  fifty-two,  four,  six,  sixty." 

"  Is  this  old  fossil  afflicted  with  deafness,  I  wonder  ?  " 
said  Cherami  to  himself. — "  I  ask  you,  monsieur,"  he 
added  aloud,  "  to  direct  me  to  the  desk — the  office — the 
chamber  of  my  friend  Gustave ;  don't  you  hear  me  ?  " 


I72  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

"  Eight  and  eight  are  sixteen — and  sixteen,  thirty-two." 

"  Sacrebleu  !  we've  known  for  a  long  while  that  eight 
and  eight  are  sixteen !  Is  it  such  nonsense  as  that  that 
keeps  you  from  answering  me  ?  " 

As  he  spoke,  Cherami  seized  the  old  clerk's  collar  and 
shook  him  roughly.  He  turned  upon  his  assailant  in  a 
rage,  exclaiming : 

"  I  am  adding  my  balances,  monsieur ;  and  when  I  am 
adding,  no  one  has  any  right  to  disturb  me — do  you  hear  ?  " 

"  Well,  well !  you  are  another  pretty  specimen,  you 
are !  They  ought  to  frame  you  and  hang  you  up  in  the 
water-closet ! " 

"  Monsieur !     What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  There,  there,  my  old  mummy;  let's  not  lose  our  tem- 
per. Where  is  Monsieur  Grandcourt's  nephew  ?  " 

"As  if  I  knew,  monsieur !  I  keep  accounts,  and  nothing 
else,  and  I  can't  talk.  You  have  put  me  out;  I  must 
begin  all  over  again  !  " 

"Very  well,  you  shall  begin  again;  nothing  trains  the 
youthful  mind  like  addition.  But  you  must  answer  my 
question  first." 

"  Monsieur  Grandcourt's  private  office  is  at  the  end  of 
this  passage,  monsieur.  Go  and  tell  him  what  you  want, 
and  leave  me  to  my  accounts." 

"All  right!  Do  you  know,  I  believe  that  excessive 
adding  has  hindered  you  sadly  in  your  growth." 

Cherami  followed  the  passage,  and,  upon  turning  the 
knob  of  a  door  at  the  end,  found  himself  in  the  banker's 
office.  Monsieur  Grandcourt  was  writing  at  his  desk; 
being  accustomed  to  the  frequent  coming  and  going  of 
his  clerks,  he  went  on  writing  without  looking  up. 

Cherami  closed  the  door,  examined  Monsieur  Grand- 
court  for  a  moment,  and  said  to  himself: 


GUSTAVE^S   UNCLE  173 

"  That's  our  uncle — I  recognize  him.  I  never  saw  him 
but  once,  but  that's  enough.  Besides,  he  has  one  of 
those  peppery  faces  which  have  a  certain  chic" 

He  walked  to  the  desk  and  removed  his  hat,  saying : 

"  Good-morning,  dear  uncle !  You  are  at  work,  I  see. 
Bigre  !  it  seems  that  dig's  the  word  in  your  shop ;  for  I 
found  outside  here  an  old  pensioner  so  buried  in  his  figures 
that  I  couldn't  see  the  end  of  his  nose. — Well,  how  does 
it  go  ? — Don't  you  know  me  ?  I  am  Arthur  Cherami." 

Monsieur  Grandcourt  raised  his  head,  and  stared  in 
utter  amazement  at  the  individual  before  him. 

"Might  I  know,  monsieur,"  he  rejoined,  "what  you 
want,  what  brings  you  here  ?  for  I  probably  didn't  under- 
stand what  you  said." 

"  Ah !  you  didn't  understand,  eh  ?  Are  you  adding 
figures,  too  ?  That  occupation  seems  to  deaden  the  in- 
tellect. But,  never  mind  about  that !  So  you  don't 
recognize  me,  dear  uncle  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur,  no ;  and  I  confess  that  I  fail  to  under- 
stand this  title  of  uncle  which  you  persist  in  giving  me." 

"  That  is  a  title  of  affection,  because  I  am  a  friend  of 
your  nephew — dear  Gustave — who  was  so  desperate  on 
the  day  that  his  faithless  Fanny  married  another.  And 
on  that  same  day,  I  dined  with  him  at  Deffieux's.  He 
was  absolutely  determined  to  speak  to  the  lovely  bride, 
when  you  fell  into  our  private  room  like  a  bombshell, 
and  dragged  the  poor  fellow  away." 

"Ah!  very  good,  monsieur!  now  I  understand,  and  I 
recognize  you.  Yes,  it  was  you  who  were  at  the  restau- 
rant with  my  nephew — and  you  attempted  to  interfere 
with  my  taking  him  away." 

"Dame!  he  was"  so  anxious  to  see  his  Fanny!  I  have 
always  protected  love  affairs." 


I74  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"And  do  you  realize,  monsieur,  all  that  might  have 
resulted  from  an  interview  between  Gustave  and  that 
young  woman  ?  " 

"  Why,  no  more,  I  fancy,  than  did  actually  happen — a 
duel,  that's  all!" 

"  What  do  you  mean,  monsieur  ?  My  nephew  fought 
no  duel ;  that  I  know ;  I  didn't  leave  him  until  the  very 
moment  of  his  departure." 

"  Well,  I  don't  say  that  it  was  he  who  fought ;  it  was 
I ;  but  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing." 

"  What !  you  fought  a  duel — you  ?  " 

"Just  a  little,  nephew — I  mean,  uncle.  Indeed,  I  ad- 
ministered to  the  young  husband  a  very  neat  sword-thrust 
in  the  arm.  However,  he's  a  stout  fellow;  but  he  holds 
himself  back  too  much  in  fencing;  that's  very  dangerous." 

"  You  fought  with  Monsieur  Monleard  ?  " 

"Why,  yes!  what  of  it?  You  open  your  eyes  like 
porte  cocheres !  One  would  say  that  it  was  a  most 
extraordinary  thing ! " 

"  But,  monsieur,  it's  a  horrible  thing  for  you  to  have 
done  !  You  have  compromised  that  young  woman,  you 
have  compromised  my  nephew,  you  have " 

"  Sacrebleu !  do  you  know  that  you  make  me  tired ! 
Where  the  devil  did  I  get  an  uncle  like  this,  who  doesn't 
appreciate  the  services  I  have  rendered  his  nephew  ?  " 

"A  little  less  noise,  monsieur,  if  you  please! " 

"Ah  !  you  don't  like  that !  Very  good !  but,  no !  You 
are  Gustave's  uncle ;  I  cannot  fight  with  you ;  it  would 
grieve  him.  After  all,  my  business  isn't  with  you ;  and 
if  that  old  baked  apple  out  yonder  had  told  me  where  I 
could  find  your  nephew,  you  wouldn't  have  had  a  call 
from  me.  Tell  me  at  once,  and  I'll  make  my  bow." 

"  You  want  to  see  Gustave  ?  " 


GUSTAVE'S   UNCLE  175 

"  That  was  my  only  reason  for  coming  here." 
"  My  nephew  is  not  now  in  France,  monsieur ;  he  is  in 
Spain." 

"  In  Spain  ?     Do  you  mean  it  ?  it  isn't  a  sell  ?  " 
Monsieur  Grandcourt  made  a  gesture  of  impatience, 
whereupon  Cherami  continued : 

"  Don't  you  like  the  word  ?  You  surprise  me !  It  is 
adopted  now  in  the  best  society.  It's  like  balance.  You 
say :  '  I  have  balance  So-and-so,'  which  means :  '  I  have 
sent  him  about  his  business.'  We  have  enriched  the 
French  language  with  a  lot  of  such  locutions,  more  or 
less  picturesque.  Ah !  the  Latin  tongue  is  much  more 
forcible,  much  more  complete.  You  can  say  things  in 
Latin  that  you'd  never  dare  to  say  in  French.  Look 
you,  for  example,  Plautus,  in  his  comedies, — in  Casina,  I 
believe, — makes  an  amorous  old  man  say,  when  he  thinks 
of  his  mistress : 

"  '  Jam,  Hercle,  amplexari,  jam  oscular!  gestio  ! ' 

Ah!  they  were  great  jokers,  those  Latin  and  Greek 
authors !  Write  comedies  now  like  those  of  Aristoph- 
anes— you'd  have  a  warm  reception  !  They  are  begin- 
ning already  to  find  Moliere  too  free !  We  are  becoming 
very  refined,  very  severe,  in  the  matter  of  language ! 
Does  that  mean  that  we  are  growing  more  virtuous  ? 
Frankly,  I  don't  think  it.  Habits,  customs,  and  manners 
change ;  but  passions,  vices,  absurdities,  are  always  the 
same ! " 

The  banker's  brow  lost  some  of  its  wrinkles  as  he 
listened  to  Cherami.  He  scrutinized  him  more  carefully, 
and  said : 

"  How  does  it  happen,  monsieur,  that,  having  received 
a  good  education,  knowing  your  classics  as  you  do,  in 


I76  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

short,  being  a  well-informed  man,  you  do  not  make  use 
of  your  knowledge,  to " 

"  To  do  what  ?  To  buy  a  coat  ?  Is  that  what  you 
mean  ?  " 

"  Faith  !  something  like  it." 

"  I  love  independence,  liberty,  monsieur." 

"  Those  words  have  been  sadly  abused  of  late,  mon- 
sieur. And  if  your  love  of  liberty  compels  you  to  go 
abroad  in  shabby  clothes,  it  seems  to  me  that  you  would 
do  well  to  prefer  love  of  work  to  it." 

"  Look  you,  my  dear  monsieur,  I  believe  that  you  are 
undertaking  to  preach  to  me — and  I  have  never  stood 
that  from  anybody  !  " 

"  Perhaps  that  is  the  great  mistake  you  have  made." 

"  Corbleu !  you  are  lucky  to  be  the  uncle  of  a  young 
man  for  whom  I  felt  at  once  a  sincere  affection. — Let  us 
say  no  more.  Gustave  is  in  Spain  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

"  For  a  long  time  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell  exactly." 

"  That's  as  good  a  way  as  any  of  not  telling  me.  But 
when  he  is  in  Paris,  I  promise  you  that  I  shall  not  fail  to 
find  him." 

"  Have  you  anything  important  to  say  to  him,  mon- 
sieur ?  if  so,  tell  it  to  me,  and  I  will  transmit  it." 

Cherami  reflected  a  moment,  then  pulled  his  hat  over 
his  eyes,  and  said : 

"  No,  I  simply  wanted  to  shake  hands  with  him,  to 
inquire  for  his  health,  and  to  find  out  whether  he  is 
finally  cured  of  his  love  for  the  faithless  Fanny." 

"  His  letters  tell  me  that  his  health  is  good.  As  for 
his  foolish  passion  for  a  woman  who  never  loved  him,  I 
like  to  believe  that  it  has  succumbed  to  absence." 


A    CAFE  ACQUAINTANCE  177 

"  Say  rather  to  the  glances  of  the  Andalusians ;  for 
they  have  terrible  eyes,  those  Spanish  women !  I  know 
something  of  them.  I  have  known  three,  who " 

"  Pardon  me,  monsieur ;  but  I  am  very  busy,  and,  if 
you  have  nothing  else  to  say  to  me " 

"  Ah  !  you  dismiss  me  ? — Very  good ;  that's  very 
polite.  I  have  my  cue  !  " 

"  You  have  your  cue?    What  do  you  mean  by  that?" 

"  Oh !  it's  of  no  consequence.  It's  a  little  phrase  which 
I  often  use ;  it's  as  if  I  said :  '  I  see  where  I  stand.' " 

"  That  makes  a  difference,  monsieur.  I  wish  you  good- 
morning  ! " 

"  And  I  wish  you  nothing  at  all !  " 

Thereupon  Cherami  left  the  banker's  office,  saying  to 
himself: 

"  There's  a  tough  old  uncle  for  you  !  I  think  I  won't 
borrow  money  of  him — I  won't  do  him  that  honor.  No, 
never !  especially  as  he  wouldn't  lend  me  any." 


XXVI 

A  CAFE  ACQUAINTANCE 

Cherami  strolled  about  at  random  for  some  time,  seek- 
ing some  person  of  his  acquaintance  with  whom  he  could 
negotiate  a  small  loan.  But  he  saw  few  save  unfamiliar 
faces,  and  if  by  chance  he  did  espy  some  former  friend, 
that  friend  turned  away  to  avoid  meeting  him. 

"The  devil! "said  Cherami  to  himself;  "the  day  opens 
badly!  I  counted  on  Gustave  for  breakfast,  and  now 
it's  after  twelve  o'clock,  and  I'm  as  hungry  as  a  canni- 
bal. However,  if  I  must,  I  will  dispose  of  my  new  cane. 


178  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

I  shall  be  sorry  to  do  it,  for  it's  a  pretty  one — a  genuine 
rattan.  But  I  should  be  still  more  sorry  to  go  without 
breakfast.  It  must  have  cost  at  least  thirty  francs.  A 
dealer  will  give  me  six  for  it, — they  have  all  the  cheek 
they  need,  those  fellows, — and  he'll  act  as  if  he  were 
doing  me  a  favor!  I  prefer  to  leave  it  in  pawn  for  a 
beefsteak  and  its  accessories.  Come,  let  us  look  for  a  cafe 
where  we  can  get  a  good  breakfast." 

Cherami  was  then  on  the  boulevard,  where  there  is 
no  lack  of  cafes ;  for  one  cannot  walk  thirty  feet  without 
passing  one.  The  ex-Beau  Arthur  entered  the  estab- 
lishment which  had  the  most  modern  show-front,  seated 
himself  at  a  table,  hung  up  his  hat,  laid  his  cane  on 
the  seat,  and  summoned  the  waiter  with  that  resound- 
ing voice  and  in  that  arrogant  tone  which  never  fail  to 
produce  their  effect  on  the  waiters  in  a  cafe. 

"  What  does  monsieur  wish  ?  " 

"  Radishes,  sardines,  and  butter ;  then  a  beefsteak- 
chateaubriand,  rare,  with  roquefort  and  a  bottle  of  bor- 
deaux. After  that,  we  will  see.  Go! — That  cane  is 
certainly  worth  all  that  I  have  ordered,"  he  said  to  him- 
self; "  yes,  and  I  can  safely  add  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a 
petit  verre.  At  all  events,  if  they  are  not  satisfied,  I 
will  do  like  Bilboquet  in  Les  Saltimbanques,  I  will  pledge 
my  signature. — I  am  annoyed,  all  the  same,  to  find  that  my 
young  friend  Gustave  is  in  Spain.  But  is  he  really  in 
Spain  ?  That  is  what  I  must  find  out." 

Cherami  had  eaten  his  hors-d'oeuvre,  and  was  about 
to  attack  his  beefsteak-chateaubriand,  when  a  short  man, 
dressed  with  some  pretension,  with  a  stupid  face  and  a 
bald  head  which  seemed  to  beg  for  a  wig,  took  his  place 
at  the  table  next  to  his,  and  sat  down  on  the  cane  which 
Cherami  had  laid  on  the  bench. 


A    CAF£  ACQUAINTANCE  179 

The  new-comer  jumped  to  his  feet,  putting  his  hand 
to  his  posterior,  and  exclaiming : 

"  Great  heaven !  what  am  I  sitting  on  ?  " 

Cherami  picked  up  his  cane  and  stood  it  on  the  floor, 
between  himself  and  his  neighbor. 

"  It's  lucky  for  you  that  you  didn't  break  it,"  he  said  ; 
"  for  it  would  have  cost  you  a  pretty  penny !  " 

"  I  didn't  do  it  purposely,  monsieur." 

"  No  matter !  if  you  had  broken  it,  you'd  have  paid 
for  it!" 

"  And  I  hurt  myself,  too." 

"  If  it  had  been  a  blackthorn  stick,  it  would  have  hurt 
you  much  more." 

The  gentleman  did  not  seem  to  be  consoled  by  that  re- 
flection ;  he  paid  no  attention  to  the  cane,  but  was  intent 
only  upon  rubbing  the  wounded  part  of  his  anatomy. 
Then  he  ordered  a  glass  of  grog,  picked  up  a  newspaper, 
and  began  to  read,  in  evident  ill-humor.  But  Cherami, 
who  loved  to  converse,  kept  on  talking  while  he  ate. 

"  I  went  into  a  public  house  one  day,"  he  said ;  "I  had 
ridden  horseback  six  leagues  without  dismounting,  and 
was  naturally  very  tired.  I  walked  into  the  common- 
room,  and  threw  myself  into  an  easy-chair  near  the 
fireplace.  But  as  I  sat  down,  a  piercing  shriek  escaped 
me.  Everybody  crowded  around  me :  '  What  is  it, 
monsieur  ?  what's  the  matter  ?  what  has  happened  to 
you  ? ' — But  I  could  only  point  to  my  posterior,  saying : 
'  I  don't  know  what  I  sat  down  on,  but  I  am  wounded — 
badly  wounded  ! ' — The  hostess  wanted  to  look  and  see 
what  it  was — she  wanted  to  dress  the  wound.  She  was 
a  bright-eyed  hussy,  with  a  buxom  figure.  I  would 
gladly  have  done  as  much  for  her,  if  she  had  been 
wounded.  But  the  husband  interposed,  considering  the 


180  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

location  of  the  wound.  He  declared  that  he  was  the 
only  one  of  the  family  who  ought  to  meddle  with  it. 
Well,  they  investigated. — I  had  sat  down  on  a  nail,  a 
huge  carpenter's  nail.  How  did  it  happen  to  be  there — 
with  the  point  up  ?  That  is  something  nobody  could 
explain.  But  the  important  thing  was  to  remove  it.  The 
landlord  couldn't  do  it.  He  sent  for  a  locksmith  with 
his  pincers,  and  he  had  such  hard  work  pulling  the 
infernal  spike  out  of  my  rump,  that,  when  he  did  get  it 
out,  it  looked  more  like  a  corkscrew  than  a  nail ! " 

The  bald  party  made  no  other  comment  on  this  story 
than  a  low  grunt,  and  continued  to  read  his  newspaper. 

Cherami  scrutinized  him  for  some  minutes,  saying  to 
himself:  "Where  in  the  devil  have  I  seen  that  phiz?  I 
can't  remember,  but  this  certainly  isn't  the  first  time 
that  I  have  had  the  misfortune  to  meet  this  bald-headed 
boor. — It  seems  that  the  story  of  my  nail  didn't  affect 
you,  monsieur?"  he  said  aloud  to  his  neighbor,  who  was 
stirring  his  grog. 

"  I  paid  very  little  attention  to  it,  monsieur.  When  I 
am  reading  the  paper,  I  am  engrossed  by  my  reading." 

"  And  you  believe  everything  you  find  in  it,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Why  not,  monsieur  ?  " 

"Ah!  I  should  judge  that  you  were  quite  capable 
of  it! — But  you  don't  know  how  to  fix  your  grog, 
monsieur." 

"  What !  I  don't  know  how  to  fix  my  grog  ?  " 

"  No,  not  at  all.  You  keep  stirring  and  stirring ;  but 
you  don't  crush  the  piece  of  lemon-peel  with  your  spoon 
and  squeeze  out  the  juice." 

"  How  does  it  concern  you,  monsieur,  whether  I  crush 
my  lemon-peel  or  not  ?  If  it  suits  me  to  drink  my  grog 
like  this,  am  I  not  at  liberty  to  do  it  ?  " 


A    CAFE  ACQUAINTANCE  181 

"  Oh !  to  be  sure !  I  give  you  good  advice — you  don't 
want  it.  As  you  please !  I'll  bet  that  you're  looking 
through  the  advertisements  in  the  paper  to  find  some- 
thing to  make  the  hair  grow?" 

"  No,  monsieur.  Let  me  tell  you  that  if  I  wanted  hair, 
I  could  have  as  much  as  anybody." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it,  with  your  money ;  you  could  wear 
three  wigs,  one  on  top  of  another ;  that  would  give  you 
a  superb  head  of  hair !  " 

"  But  I  don't  like  artificial  things,  monsieur ;  I  detest 
what  is  false  !  The  truth  before  everything  !  " 

"  Ah !  I  understand,  then,  why  you  parade  your  skull. 
But  if  you  propose  always  to  show  us  the  truth,  that 
may  carry  you  rather  far !  That  goddess's  costume  is  a 
little  scanty,  or  rather  she  has  none  at  all.  She  appears 
to  the  world  quite  naked !  I  would  like  to  see  you  go 
out  in  the  street  in  that  condition,  for  love  of  the  truth. 
I  fancy  that  a  police  officer  wouldn't  listen  to  that  excuse. 
Look  you,  monsieur,  it  has  often  been  said  that  it  isn't 
always  well  to  tell  the  truth;  we  might  add  that  it 
isn't  always  well  to  see  it.  In  general,  a  man  is  wise 
to  conceal  his  infirmities,  his  deformities,  and  whatever 
he  may  have  that  is  unpleasant  to  look  at ;  he  does  well 
to  make  himself  as  attractive,  or  as  little  unattractive,  as 
possible.  To  embellish,  to  seek  to  please,  such  seems  to 
be  the  purpose  of  nature,  everywhere  and  in  everything. 
Look  at  a  mother  with  her  child :  her  first  care  is  to 
dress  it  up,  to  try  to  embellish  it.  Women  are  born 
with  the  instinct  of  coquetry ;  men  have  it,  too,  although 
the  rush  and  hurry  of  business  compels  them  to  pay  less 
heed  to  their  persons.  When  you  take  lodgings,  your 
first  care  is  to  make  them  attractive;  if  you  have  a 
garden,  you  embellish  it  by  planting  flowers  in  it ;  if  you 


l82  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

give  a  dinner  party,  you  want  it  to  be  stylish,  sumptuous, 
enriched  by  handsome  plate. — For  instance,  see  this  thin 
glass  from  which  I  am  drinking  my  claret :  it  improves 
the  wine,  monsieur ;  it  makes  it  taste  better — for  the  wine 
would  seem  much  less  delicious  to  me  if  it  were  served 
in  a  preserve-jar.  And  take  your  own  case — would  you 
have  liked  it  if  they  had  brought  you  your  grog  in  a 
wash-basin,  eh  ? — Deuce  take  me !  I  believe  the  little 
fellow  isn't  listening ! "  exclaimed  Cherami,  suddenly 
interrupting  his  dissertation.  "Where  in  the  world  have 
I  seen  that  face  ? — Waiter !  my  coffee !  " 

As  he  threw  himself  back  on  the  bench,  Cherami 
knocked  his  cane  against  his  neighbor.  Whereupon  the 
latter  turned,  and  pushed  the  cane  away,  muttering : 

"  Have  you  made  a  wager  to  annoy  me  ?  " 

"  What's  that !  a  wager — just  because  my  cane  slipped 
against  you  ?  I  say,  my  dear  monsieur,  who  are  so 
attached  to  the  truth,  you're  very  touchy,  aren't  you  ? " 

The  bald  man  made  no  reply ;  as  he  pushed  the  cane 
away,  he  had  glanced  at  it,  and  from  that  moment  he 
kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  it. 

"  Ah !  you  are  admiring  my  cane  now  ?  "  said  Arthur ; 
"  you  begin  to  understand  that  it  would  have  been  a  pity 
to  break  it ! — It's  very  neat." 

Still  the  bald  man  made  no  reply,  but  raised  his  eyes 
and  examined  the  hat  which  its  owner  had  hung  on  a 
hook.  He  scrutinized  it  so  carefully  that  Cherami  lost 
patience,  and  said  to  himself: 

"  Well,  well !  what's  the  matter  with  this  creature ! 
How  much  longer  is  he  going  to  stare  at  my  hat  and 
cane  ?  He's  beginning  to  make  me  very  weary." 


THE   CANE  AND   THE  HAT  183 


XXVII 
THE  CANE  AND  THE  HAT 

At  last,  the  little  man  made  up  his  mind  to  speak : 

"  That  cane,  monsieur — with  that  agate  head ;  it's  very 
singular ! " 

"  You  find  that  my  cane  has  a  singular  look  ?  Distin- 
guished, you  mean,  I  doubt  not  ?  " 

"  Why,  monsieur,  the  fact  is,  that  that  cane — the  more 
I  look  at  it — a  rattan — exactly  ! — and  the  hat,  too — the 
same  kind  of  a  band — very  broad " 

"  Tell  me,  monsieur — when  you  have  finished,  will  you 
very  kindly  explain  yourself?  "  said  Cherami.  He  began 
to  suspect  who  his  companion  was,  but  he  did  not  choose 
to  let  it  appear. 

"  This  is  how  it  is,  monsieur :  I  had  a  cane  exactly 
like  this  one — so  much  like  it  that  I  could  swear  it  was 
the  same  one." 

"  We  see  canes  that  look  just  alike,  every  day,  mon- 
sieur; there's  nothing  extraordinary  in  that;  there  are 
many  men  who  are  mistaken  for  one  another,  and  yet 
there  is  an  expression,  an  animation,  on  a  man's  face 
which  you  would  seek  in  vain  on  the  head  of  a  cane." 

"  Excuse  me,  monsieur ;  but  all  canes  haven't  an  agate 
head  cut  like  this  one." 

"  If  they  had,  they  would  be  too  common,  and  I 
wouldn't  want  one." 

"  Well,  monsieur,  I  lost  my  cane  and  my  hat  at  a  wed- 
ding party  which  I  attended  about  two  months  ago ;  that 


184  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

is  to  say,  I  didn't  positively  lose  them,  but  they  were  ex- 
changed— and  I  didn't  gain  by  the  change !  In  place  of 
my  hat,  which  had  a  band  exactly  like  this — very  broad 
— and  the  same  shape — they  left  a  pitiful,  disgraceful 
thing;  and  I  was  obliged  to  buy  a  new  one  the  next 
day ;  and  in  place  of  my  cane  I  found  a  sort  of  switch, 
of  the  kind  they  beat  clothes  with — not  worth  six  sous ! " 

"  Corbleu !  monsieur,  what  do  you  mean  to  imply  by 
all  this  ?  This  cane  that  you  lost,  with  an  agate  head — 
and  your  hat  with  a  band  like  this — do  you  know  that 
I  am  beginning  to  lose  my  temper  ?  Do  you  mean  to 
say  that  I  stole  your  cane  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur — but " 

"Then  you  insult  me,  and  I  will  not  brook  an  insult! — 
When  we  leave  this  cafe,  we  will  go  and  cut  each  other's 
throats,  like  a  couple  of  young  dandies ! " 

"  Never,  monsieur ;  not  by  any  means !  I  am  mistaken, 
monsieur ;  I  am  wrong.  No,  no,  it  isn't  my  cane — let  it 
be  as  if  I  had  said  nothing ;  I  beg  your  pardon." 

The  little  bald  man,  trembling  like  a  leaf,  seemed  in- 
clined to  disappear  under  the  table  at  which  he  was 
seated.  Cherami,  having  reflected  two  or  three  minutes, 
looked  at  him  with  an  affable  expression,  and  said : 

"  Didn't  you  lose  something  else  at  the  party  you 
mentioned  just  now." 

"  Something  else  ?  yes,  I  did,  monsieur ;  I  was  in  bad 
luck  that  night !  When  I  arrived  at  the  ball,  I  had  lost 
one  of  my  gloves — a  yellow  glove.  To  be  sure,  it  was 
returned  to  me  later — but  in  such  a  state !  " 

"  Ah !  now  I  understand  !     I  recognize  you  now  !  " 

"  You  recognize  me  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure — you  are  Monsieur  Courbichon." 

"  That's  my  name,  sure  enough  !     But  how ?  " 


THE   CANE  AND   THE  HAT  185 

"  Pardieu!  we  met  at  our  friend  Blanquette's  little  party. 
Dear  Monsieur  Courbichon !  I  have  been  looking  for 
you  a  long  while  !  " 

"  You  have  been  looking  for  me,  monsieur  ?  For 
what,  pray  ?  " 

"  For  what  ?     Why,  to  return  your  cane." 

"  But,  monsieur,  I  don't  know  whether " 

"And  your  hat  too,  if  you  insist  upon  it;  but,  as  the 
one  you  have  now  is  newer,  you  would  lose  again  by 
the  change.  But  the  cane  is  certainly  yours ;  do  you 
consider  me  capable  of  keeping  something  that  doesn't 
belong  to  me, — that  is  in  my  possession  only  as  the  result 
of  a  mistake  ?  " 

"Ah!  monsieur,  I  am  sensible " 

"  You  understand,  of  course,  that  before  returning  this 
cane,  which  I  carried  away  by  mistake  from  my  friend 
Blanquette's  party,  I  wished  to  be  sure  of  returning  it  to 
its  owner  and  no  one  else.  Have  you  my  switch  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  I  haven't  it — I  don't  even  know  what 
has  become  of  it." 

"  Bigre  !  I  am  very  sorry  for  that.  You  thought,  I 
suppose,  that  it  was  just  a  common  switch;  you  didn't 
see  that  it  was  a  nerf  de  boeufy  which  came  from  China, 
where  they  make  a  great  many  canes  of  that  material, 
because  it  bends  and  never  breaks.  You  value  it  at  six 
sous,  but  it  was  worth  forty  francs." 

"  Oh !  if  I  had  known  that " 

"  You'd  have  taken  more  care  of  it.  However,  that's 
a  trifling  mishap.  You  pay  for  what  I  have  eaten,  and 
we  will  dine  together ;  then  we  shall  be  quits." 

"  What,  monsieur,  you  propose " 

"  Pray  take  your  cane ;  it's  a  fascinating  thing !  Every- 
body stared  at  it.  Dear  Courbichon !  I  am  delighted 


1 86  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

to  have  returned  it  to  you ;  but  I  greatly  regret  my 
Chinese  switch !  Such  is  very  rare  in  Paris.  Very 
few  like  it  come  here  from  China. — I  say,  waiter,  how 
much  do  I  owe  ?  " 

"  Seven  francs  fifty,  monsieur." 

"  Very  good.     Monsieur  here  will  attend  to  it." 

Monsieur  Courbichon  did  not  seem  overjoyed  to  pay 
for  his  neighbor's  breakfast;  however,  he  did  it.  They 
left  the  cafe  together,  and,  when  they  were  on  the  boule- 
vard, Cherami  passed  his  arm  through  that  of  the  owner 
of  the  cane,  saying : 

"  Where  shall  we  go  now  ?  " 

"  Faith  !  monsieur,  I  had  intended  to  go  for  a  stroll  on 
the  Champs-Elysees.  It's  a  fine  day,  and  near  the  end 
of  September;  we  must  make  the  most  of  these  last 
good  days.  And  then,  I  am  very  fond  of  watching  them 
play  bowls." 

"  Very  good  !  that  suits  me — that  suits  me  to  the  very 
tick:  let  us  go  to  the  Champs-Elysees,  and  see  them 
play  bowls.  Walking  helps  the  digestion ;  it  gives  one 
an  appetite.  We  will  dine  there;  I  know  all  the  good 
restaurants  on  the  Champs-Elysees.  Oh!  never  fear, 
Papa  Courbichon,  you  are  with  a  buck  who  knows  what 
good  living  is  ! " 

"  I  don't  doubt  it,  monsieur,  but " 

"  Sapristi !  what  a  pretty  cane  !  everybody  admires  it 
as  they  pass.  It  must  have  cost  a  lot  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,  monsieur ;  it's  a  present  from  my 
nephew." 

"Ah,  indeed!  I  was  just  saying  to  myself,  that  it's  a 
surprising  thing  that  Monsieur  Courbichon  should  have 
bought  a  cane  like  that.  Your  nephew's  a  man  of  taste. 
What  does  he  do  ?  " 


THE   CANE  AND    THE  HAT  187 

"  He's  in  business.  He  has  gone  to  America.  This 
was  his  cane;  he  gave  it  to  me,  because,  as  he  said, 
he  was  going  to  a  country  where  there  are  plenty  of 
canes,  and  it  was  useless  for  him  to  carry  this  one." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  he  carries  a  piece  of  sugar-cane 
in  his  hand  when  he  goes  out  to  walk  ?  " 

"  I  can't  tell  you,  I  don't  know.  The  cane  suited  me, 
because  at  need  I  could  use  it  to  defend  myself." 

"  My  Chinese  switch  was  a  famous  weapon  of  defence, 
too." 

"  What !  a  switch  ?  " 

"  Remember  that  it  was  a  nerf  de  bauf.  I  could  have 
killed  a  calf  with  it." 

"  What  a  curious  idea  of  those  Chinese  to  make  canes 
with  nerfs  de  bceuf !  " 

"An  additional  proof,  my  dear  Monsieur  Courbichon, 
that  the  Chinese  are  much  more  advanced  than  we  are 
— much  more  progressive !  They  build  houses  of  india- 
rubber." 

"  Hard  rubber,  of  course  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  whether  it's  hard  or  not — it  makes  no 
difference.  Pardieu !  Monsieur  Courbichon,  you  must 
agree  that  there  are  lucky  chances,  and  that  we  were 
both  happily  inspired  when  we  went  to  that  cafe  to-day! " 

"  It  is  certain,  monsieur,  that  otherwise " 

"  You  would  never  have  seen  your  charming  cane 
again.  Are  you  married,  Monsieur  Courbichon  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  married,  monsieur,  but  I  am  a  widower." 

"A  superb  position  for  a  man  still  young  and  made  to 
please  the  ladies." 

"  Oh !  monsieur,  I  am  fifty-five." 

"  That  is  the  very  prime  of  life,  the  age  at  which  a 
man  makes  most  conquests,  because  he  knows  better 


188  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

how  to  go  about  it.  Ah  !  I  would  like  to  be  fifty-five ! 
I  hope  to  get  there,  but  I  haven't  yet.  You  have  some 
means  ?  " 

"  Five  or  six  thousand  francs  a  year,  which  I  made  in 
dried  fruit." 

"A  very  pretty  business  ! — That  isn't  a  magnificent  for- 
tune, but  it  is  that  pleasant  mediocrity  so  highly  praised 
by  Horace.  Do  you  know  Horace  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  seen  it  played  at  the  Thea.tre-Franc.ais." 

"Ah  !  I  guess  we  will  stop  there !  Have  you  children, 
excellent  Courbichon  ?  " 

"I  have  a  daughter,  monsieur, — a  married  daughter;  I 
have  set  her  up  in  business." 

"  In  dried  fruit  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur;  she  is  in  olive  oil." 

"  Oh !  the  deuce  !  that's  very  different !  But  it  will 
preserve  her  longer.  You  have  no  other  daughter  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur." 

"  What  a  pity !  " 

"  Why  so,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  Because  I  feel  so  strongly  attracted  to  you  that  I 
would  have  asked  her  hand  in  marriage.  Faith !  yes, 
I  would  have  renounced  my  liberty,  which  I  have  never 
done  yet — but  there's  an  end  to  everything.  Does  your 
son-in-law  enjoy  good  health  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur,  excellent ! " 

"  So  much  the  worse !  " 

"  Why  so  much  the  worse  ?  " 

"  Because,  if  he  should  die  soon,  I  might  marry  his 
widow." 

"  Oh  !  what  an  idea,  monsieur  ! " 

"  He  is  in  good  health,  so  there's  an  end  of  that ;  let 
us  say  no  more  about  it.  Don't  be  alarmed;  I  have 


THE   CANE  AND    THE  HAT  189 

no  idea  of  killing  him.  If  he  had  insulted  me,  I  don't 
say " 

"  A  thousand  pardons,  monsieur ;  but  I  should  be  very 
glad  to  know  your  name." 

"  My  name  ?  So  you  have  forgotten  it,  have  you  ? 
But  I  was  called  by  name  often  enough  at  young  Blan- 
quette's  wedding  party — while  I  was  dancing  with  Aunt 
Merlin." 

"  I  don't  remember  it." 

"  My  name  is  Arthur  Cherami." 

Courbichon,  thinking  that  his  companion  was  address- 
ing him  as  his  dear  friend  (cher  ami"),  replied  : 

"  Oh !  yes,  your  name  is  Arthur Nothing  more?" 

"  What  do  you  say  ?  nothing  more  ?  Why,  I  have  just 
told  you — Arthur  Cherami." 

"Yes,  I  understand — Arthur;  that's  a  veiy  pretty 
name.  Are  you  in  business?" 

"  I  don't  do  anything ;  I  live  on  my  income,  like  you." 

"  Oh  !  that's  different !  When  one  has  enough  to  live 
on,  one  certainly  has  the  right  to  loaf  as  much  as  he 
pleases." 

"  That's  so,  isn't  it,  my  dear  Courbichon  ?  Ah  !  I  am 
delighted  to  see  that  we  agree.  We  were  destined  to 
become  close  friends ;  it  was  written,  as  the  Arabs  say." 

While  conversing  thus, — that  is  to  say,  while  Cherami 
conversed  and  his  companion  listened,  with  difficulty 
finding  a  chance  to  put  in  a  word  or  two  from  time  to 
time, — they  had  reached  the  Champs-Elysees.  They 
sauntered  toward  a  spot  where  a  game  of  bowls  was  in 
progress,  and  looked  on  for  a  while.  According  to  his 
habit,  Cherami  made  his  reflections  aloud  and  gave 
his  opinion  on  the  strokes.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  say: 
"  That  was  wretchedly  played ! "  to  the  face  of  the  player. 


190  MONSIEUR    CHERAMI 

The  latter,  a  youngster  of  sixteen  years,  came  up  to  him 
with  an  irritated  air,  crying : 

"  What  business  is  it  of  yours  ?  Perhaps  you  wouldn't 
do  as  well !  " 

"  No,  I  flatter  myself  that  I  wouldn't  do  as  well,  for 
I  would  do  much  better.  And  if  you  don't  like  what  I 
say,  my  boy,  just  come  with  me.  There's  a  shooting- 
gallery  yonder.  I  will  take  you  for  my  target,  and 
you  take  me ;  we'll  see  which  of  us  will  bring  the  other 
down." 

The  bowler  retired  without  making  any  reply. 

"  You  are  too  quick,  my  dear  Monsieur  Arthur,"  said 
Courbichon,  putting  his  hand  on  Cherami's  shoulder; 
"you  take  fire  like  saltpetre." 

"  Ah  !  that's  the  way  I  was  made,  my  dear  Courbichon. 
What  would  you  have — a  man  can't  make  himself  over ! 
— But  just  let  anyone  presume  to  insult  you,  when  you're 
with  me !  Bigre  !  a  dwarf,  a  giant,  a  colossus — it's  all 
one  to  me ;  I  would  grind  him  to  powder  on  the  spot, 
and  it  wouldn't  take  long !  " 

Meanwhile,  the  young  bowler,  who  had  returned  to  his 
game  boiling  with  rage,  had  formed  a  plan  to  revenge 
himself  upon  the  person  who  had  said  that  he  bowled 
badly ;  and  when  it  was  his  turn  to  bowl,  he  threw  the 
ball  with  all  his  force  in  Cherami's  direction,  hoping  that 
it  would  strike  his  legs.  But  a  small  stone  caused  it  to 
deviate  slightly,  and,  instead  of  striking  Beau  Arthur, 
it  came  in  contact  with  Monsieur  Courbichon's  legs. 
That  gentleman  staggered,  and  uttered  a  piercing  shriek. 
Cherami  saw  plainly  whence  the  ball  came,  and  saw  the 
bowler  laughing  uproariously.  Instantly,  snatching  the 
cane  from  his  companion's  hand,  he  ran  toward  the  author 
of  the  assault,  shouting : 


THE   CANE  AND    THE  HAT  191 

"  Never  fear,  my  poor  Courbichon ;  I  will  avenge  you, 
and  I'll  do  it  thoroughly,  too.  He'll  have  his  rabbit,  the 
villain ! " 

The  youngster  who  had  thrown  the  ball  fled  when  he 
saw  Cherami  running  toward  him.  But  Cherami  pursued 
him ;  while  Monsieur  Courbichon  rubbed  his  legs,  saying : 

"  This  is  the  first  time  such  a  thing  ever  happened  to 
me  while  I  was  watching  the  game ;  and  it's  the  more  sur- 
prising, because  I  wasn't  in  line  with  the  pins.  So  it  must 
have  been  done  on  purpose ;  but  why  should  the  fellow  aim 
at  my  legs  ?  I  didn't  make  any  comment  on  his  play — I 
didn't  have  any  dispute  with  him. — This  will  certainly 
leave  a  mark  on  my  legs. — Where  in  the  deuce  has  Mon- 
sieur Arthur  gone  ?  That  man  is  too  quick-tempered." 

In  a  few  minutes,  Cherami  returned,  flushed  and  tri- 
umphant, crying : 

"  You  are  avenged,  my  dear  Courbichon !  yes,  what 
anyone  would  call  thoroughly  avenged ;  the  rascal  has 
had  what  he  deserved;  and  here's  the  proof." 

As  he  spoke,  he  handed  his  new  friend  his  beautiful 
cane  broken  in  two. 

Monsieur  Courbichon  was  dumfounded,  and  gazed 
with  an  air  of  consternation  at  the  pieces  of  the  cane. 

"  Ah  !  mon  Dieu  !  "  he  faltered ;  "  it  is  broken  !  " 

"  True — it  is  broken ;  but  I  broke  it  on  the  back  of  the 
ragamuffin  who  threw  his  ball  at  your  skittles — I  mean, 
your  legs." 

"  What  a  pity  !     You  struck  him  too  hard." 

"  One  cannot  strike  an  enemy  too  hard." 

"  Such  a  pretty  cane  !  " 

"  You  still  have  the  pieces — or,  at  all  events,  the  head ; 
you  can  have  it  put  on  another  stick." 

"  It  was  a  genuine  rattan." 


I92  MONSIEUR    CHERAMI 

"  Pardieu !  it  was  genuine  enough ;  the  fact  that  it 
broke  so  soon  proves  that.  But  there  are  other  rattans 
in  the  shops." 

"  I'm  very  sorry  that  you  broke  my  cane." 

"  If  you  hadn't  lost  my  Chinese  switch,  I  would  have 
beaten  him  with  that;  and  that  wouldn't  have  broken,  I 
promise  you ! " 

"  It  makes  me  feel  very  bad — my  beautiful  cane !  " 

"  Saperlotte !  are  you  going  to  cry  over  it  ?  Oughtn't 
you  rather  to  thank  me  for  avenging  the  insult  to  your 
legs  ?  Come,  take  your  cane,  and  let  us  go  and  dine;  the 
walk  has  given  me  an  appetite." 

Poor  Courbichon,  with  a  lachrymose  expression,  took 
the  pieces  of  his  cane,  and  submitted  to  be  led  away  by 
Cherami,  who  took  his  arm  and  conducted  him  to  one  of 
the  best  restaurants  on  the  Champs-Elysees.  They  took 
their  seats  out-of-doors,  at  one  of  the  tables  surrounded 
by  hedges  in  such  wise  as  to  form  private  rooms  with 
walls  of  verdure.  Courbichon  placed  the  fragments  of 
his  cane  on  a  chair  by  his  side,  heaving  a  profound  sigh  ; 
for  his  new  friend  intimidated  him  so  that  he  no  longer 
dared,  in  his  presence,  to  betray  the  chagrin  caused  by 
the  spectacle  of  his  broken  treasure. 

Cherami  ordered  the  dinner,  saying : 

"  Rely  on  me ;  I  will  order  the  dinner ;  and  as  we  are 
sensible  men  and  have  no  women  with  us,  there's  no  need 
of  our  making  fools  of  ourselves.  We  don't  want  to  have 
a  magnificent  feast,  but  simply  to  dine  comfortably.  Is 
that  your  idea  ?  " 

"Exactly;  still " 

"You  have  just  the  disposition  I  like!  I  shall  mark 
with  a  white  cross — album  dies  ! — the  day  which  brought 
us  together  and  enabled  me  to  return  your  cane.  I  regret 


THE   CANE  AND    THE  HAT  193 

that  you  lost  my  Chinese  switch  !  but  you  have  your 
cane ;  that's  the  main  thing !  " 

Whenever  his  new  friend  mentioned  his  cane,  Mon- 
sieur Courbichon  made  a  wry  face,  but  he  did  not  venture 
to  make  any  complaint.  They  proceeded  to  dine :  one, 
talking  constantly  as  he  ate ;  the  other,  eating  almost 
without  speaking;  and,  although  Cherami  had  informed 
his  host  that  they  would  dine  like  sensible  men,  when 
the  bill  was  brought,  it  amounted  to  twenty-two  francs. 

"  That  is  not  too  much,"  said  Cherami,  passing  the 
check  to  his  companion ;  "  for  we  have  had  a  good  dinner 
and  punished  our  three  bottles." 

The  little  bald  man  seemed  to  be  of  a  different  opin- 
ion ;  he  turned  the  paper  over  and  over  in  his  hand, 
muttering : 

"  Twenty-two  francs  !  twenty-two  francs !  " 

"  Well,  my  good  Courbichon,  that  won't  drain  the  sea 
dry !  How  many  times  I  have  spent  ten  times  as  much 
on  a  dainty  dinner,  tete-a-tete  with  a  pretty  woman !  To 
be  sure,  we  used  to  have  all  the  delicacies  of  the  sea- 
son— asparagus  at  thirty  francs  the  bunch,  strawberries 
at  fifteen  francs,  pineapples,  wine  of  Constance. — The 
women  adore  that  wine !  they  delight  in  getting  tipsy 
on  Constance — in  the  bottle  ! — Have  you  ever  indulged 
in  that  sort  of  affair,  amiable  Courbichon  ?  Oh !  you 
must  have  done  it,  many  a  time !  That's  where  you  lost 
your  hair;  eh,  old  boy?" 

"  Twenty-two  francs  !  twenty-two  francs  !  " 

"  Those  figures  seem  to  worry  you !  Do  you  find  a 
mistake  in  the  addition  ?  " 

"  No,  it  isn't  that ;  but  I  am  afraid  I  haven't  enough 
money  with  me.  I  paid  quite  a  large  amount  at  the 
cafe,  this  morning.  I  didn't  expect  to  spend  so  much 


I94  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

to-day.  Would  you  be  kind  enough  to  lend  me  what 
I  need  ?  " 

"  I  would  do  so  with  the  most  lively  satisfaction,  my 
estimable  friend;  but,  as  I  was  feeling  in  my  pocket  just 
now,  I  discovered  that  I  have  forgotten  my  purse ;  which, 
by  the  way,  happens  quite  often,  for  I  am  very  absent- 
minded.  I  may  add  that,  when  I  made  that  discovery, 
I  intended  to  borrow  a  few  francs  of  you — as  is  often 
done  between  good  friends ;  for  what's  the  use  of  friend- 
ship, if  not  to  oblige  ?  O  divine  friendship !  gift  of  the 
gods ! " 

"  Mon  Dieu !  what  are  we  going  to  do,  if  we  haven't 
enough  money  between  us  to  pay  for  our  dinner  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  be  alarmed !  I  have  found  myself  in  that 
position  more  than  once.  You  can  leave  your  cane  in 
pawn." 

"  My  cane !  When  it  was  whole,  that  might  have  been 
— but  now  I  can  only  offer  some  pieces  of  a  cane  as  a 
pledge." 

"  Then  leave  your  watch,  my  friend." 

"  I  haven't  worn  it  since  my  last  one  was  stolen." 

"  But  don't  worry !  They  will  give  us  credit  on  our 
respectable  appearance." 

"  Let  me  see ;  with  every  sou  I  can  find Search 

your  pockets,  too." 

"  Oh !  that's  useless ;  I  never  carry  money  loose  in  my 
pockets.  I  have  my  purse,  or  I  haven't  it." 

Monsieur  Courbichon,  having  collected  all  that  he  had 
in  his  pockets,  could  find  only  twelve  francs  and  two 
sous.  But  suddenly,  upon  renewing  his  search,  he  pro- 
duced something  carefully  wrapped  in  paper,  and  that 
something  proved  to  be  a  gold  piece  of  ten  francs.  The 
bald  man's  face  lightened. 


THE   CANE  AND    THE  HAT  195 

"Ah!"  he  cried;  "the  ten  francs  that  I  loaned  to 
Mathieu,  and  that  he  paid  back  this  morning;  I  had 
forgotten  them.  That  makes  up  the  amount  and  two 
sous  over — for  the  waiter." 

"  If  I  were  in  your  place,"  said  Cherami,  "  I  would 
keep  Mathieu's  ten  francs,  so  that  we  might  have  some- 
thing to  refresh  ourselves  with  when  we  go  back ;  and  I 
would  leave  my  cane  for  the  balance." 

"  What !  you  want  me  to  ask  for  credit  when  I  have 
enough  money  to  pay  the  bill  ?  " 

"  You  haven't  enough ;  for  with  a  bill  of  twenty-two 
francs,  you  can't  think  of  giving  the  waiter  less  than 
twenty  sous ;  if  you  offer  him  two,  he'll  throw  them  in 
your  face." 

"  If  he  refuses  them,  he'll  get  nothing  at  all — so  much 
the  worse  for  him !  but  I  shall  pay  my  bill." 

"  And  suppose  you  feel  the  need  of  something  while 
we  are  walking  back  ?  " 

"We  have  dined  so  well  that  I  shall  not  want  any- 
thing." 

"  On  the  contrary,  you  may  have  an  attack  of  indiges- 
tion— you  are  very  red  already — and  then  you'll  want  a 
glass  of  sugar  and  water." 

"  I  can  do  without  it ;  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  being  sick." 

"There  are  lots  of  things  we're  not  in  the  habit  of 
having,  and  yet  they  come — as,  sudden  death,  for  ex- 
ample ;  certainly  one  hasn't  the  habit  of  it,  and  it  takes 
you  all  of  a  sudden." 

Cherami's  arguments  were  of  no  avail ;  Monsieur  Cour- 
bichon  held  his  ground.  He  called  the  waiter,  paid  for 
his  dinner,  and  told  him  that  he  gave  him  only  two  sous 
because  he  had  nothing  but  banknotes  which  he  did  not 
wish  to  change. 


196  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

They  left  the  restaurant.  The  little  bald  man  carried 
the  pieces  of  his  cane,  but  his  face  wore  a  very  unamia- 
ble  expression.  Cherami,  who  had  ceased  to  enjoy  his 
society,  soon  left  him,  saying  : 

"  Give  me  your  address,  my  dear  friend.  I  will  come 
soon  and  bid  you  good-morning." 

"  It  is  useless,  monsieur ;  I  start  to-morrow  for  Tou- 
raine,  where  I  expect  to  settle." 

"What!  you  are  leaving  Paris,  too?  Very  well;  if 
you  go  to  Tours,  send  me  some  plums — Rue  de  1'Orillon, 
Belleville,  Hotel  du  Bel-Air ;  but  prepay  the  freight !  " 

Monsieur  Courbichon  saluted  Cherami,  and  hurried 
off  as  fast  as  his  little  legs  would  carry  him,  thrusting 
a  fragment  of  his  cane  into  each  pocket. 


XXVI 1 1 

A  CONSTANT  LOVER 

Monsieur  Gerbault  transmitted  his  daughter's  reply  to 
the  two  suitors  who  had  asked  for  her  hand.  Young 
Anatole  took  his  rebuff  without  any  indication  of  emo- 
tion. He  said  simply: 

"  I  am  very  thorry,  becauth  our  two  voitheth  went 
very  well  together.  I  am  thure  that  we  would  have 
thung  beautifully,  and  I  am  tho  fond  of  muthic  that  we 
thould  have  been  very  happy." 

The  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  did  not  accept  Adolphine's 
refusal  of  his  offer  so  philosophically. 

"Upon  my  word,  my  dear  Gerbault,"  he  exclaimed, 
"  I  have  bad  luck  with  your  daughters !  One  marries 


A    CONSTANT  LOVER  197 

just  when  I  am  about  to  ask  for  her  hand.  This  one 
will  have  none  of  me ;  for  I  understand  perfectly  that  her 
reply  is  simply  a  courteously  disguised  refusal.  Well,  I 
must  make  the  best  of  it !  I  will  take  a  trip  into  Italy, 
and  try  to  console  myself.  The  Italian  women  are  not 
the  equals  of  your  daughters,  but,  at  all  events,  they  will 
distract  my  thoughts." 

And,  a  few  days  later,  the  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  did, 
in  fact,  leave  Paris. 

But  there  was  one  person  who  was  entirely  unable  to 
understand  Adolphine's  conduct:  that  was  her  sister 
Fanny.  Learning  that  she  had  refused  to  marry  either 
Monsieur  de  Raincy  or  the  count,  she  went  to  see  her 
one  morning. 

"  Can  what  father  tells  me  be  true  ?  You  have  refused 
to  marry,  when  two  magnificent  partis  have  offered  them- 
selves ?  But,  no,  it  can't  be  true ;  you  haven't  done 
that !  or  else  you  were  sick  at  the  time.  Surely  you 
didn't  realize  what  you  said,  when  you  gave  father  that 
answer  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  did,  my  dear  love,"  Adolphine  replied,  with 
a  smile ;  "  I  knew  perfectly  well  what  I  was  saying ;  I 
had  considered  the  matter  fully  when  I  refused  to  marry 
those  gentlemen." 

"  Upon  my  word,  I  don't  understand  you  !  What  rea- 
son, what  motives,  can  have  prompted  your  refusal  ?  The 
Comte  de  la  Beriniere  has  thirty  thousand  francs  a  year ; 
and  he  would  make  you  a  countess.  Just  think  of  it — a 
countess  !  Isn't  it  perfectly  bewildering  to  think  of  being 
called  Madame  la  Comtesse  ?  " 

"  It  tempts  me  very  little." 

"  To  be  sure,  the  count  is  no  longer  young ;  but,  once 
married,  if  you  knew,  my  dear  girl,  how  little  you  think 


I98  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

about  your  husband's  age !  Auguste  might  be  sixty 
years  old,  now,  and  it  would  be  all  the  same  to  me." 

"  My  ideas  are  not  at  all  the  same  as  yours,  as  I  have 
already  told  you." 

"  But  I  have  had  experience  now,  and  you  ought  to 
listen  to  me.  Come,  let  us  admit  that  you  refused  the 
count  because  you  thought  he  was  too  old,  which  is 
the  merest  childishness — that  reason  doesn't  apply  in 
the  case  of  Monsieur  de  Raincy;  he  is  young,  good- 
looking " 

"  He  has  a  stupid,  self-sufficient  manner." 

"  But  what  difference  does  that  make  ?  I  have  always 
heard  it  said  that  a  stupid  man  makes  an  excellent  hus- 
band. I  should  be  glad  enough  if  my  husband  was 
stupid  !  Then  he  wouldn't  keep  flinging  little  sarcastic 
remarks  at  me  when  I  talk  about  the  state  of  the 
market — of  the  rise  or  fall  in  railway  shares.  Auguste 
is  clever — yes,  very  clever.  But  what  good  does  it  do 
me  to  have  him  clever  and  agreeable  in  society  ?  In 
his  own  home,  a  husband  never  uses  his  wit  except  to 
make  sport  of  his  wife.  Monsieur  Anatole  de  Raincy 
isn't  as  rich  as  the  count,  but  he  has  a  very  good  posi- 
tion in  society.  Where  do  you  expect  to  find  a  better 
match  ?  " 

"  I  expect  nothing." 

"  Why  do  you  refuse  these  offers,  then  ?  " 

"  Because  I  do  not  love  either  of  them." 

"Ah !  an  excellent  reason !  How  absurd  you  are,  my 
poor  Adolphine !  Happiness  in  wedlock  does  not  con- 
sist in  love,  but  in  wealth,  in  luxury,  in  the  power  to  buy 
whatever  we  please,  to  have  magnificent  dresses  which 
drive  other  women  mad,  to  go  to  balls  and  parties  every 
day,  to  have  the  best  boxes  at  the  theatre ;  not  in  having 


A    CONSTANT  LOVER  199 

to  sit  sighing  by  your  husband  while  you  watch  the 
soup-kettle." 

"  I  have  told  you  before  that  my  tastes  aren't  the  same 
as  yours." 

"  Oh !  you  say  that,  but,  in  reality,  you  would  be 
very  glad  to  cut  as  fine  a  figure  yourself.  But  you  are 
romantic !  perhaps  you  have  a  passion  hidden  away  in 
your  heart.  Oh !  yes,  to  refuse  two  such  chances  as  you 
have  had,  you  must  be  in  love  with  somebody ! " 

Adolphine  blushed,  but  made  haste  to  reply : 

"  No,  you  are  mistaken.  I  never  think  of  any  man ; 
it  is  not  right  of  you  to  say  that." 

"  Very  well !  then,  my  dear  girl,  I  say  again  that  it  was 
perfectly  absurd  of  you  to  refuse  those  two !  Adieu  !  I 
am  going  to  select  some  flowers  for  my  head,  for  I  am 
going  to  a  large  party  to-night,  and  I  propose  to  eclipse 
all  the  other  women." 

Some  little  time  after  this  interview,  Adolphine  was 
alone,  thinking  of  him  whose  image  was  always  present 
in  her  mind;  for  she  had  not  told  her  sister  the  truth 
when  she  said  that  she  never  thought  of  any  man ;  but 
there  are  passions  which  one  does  not  choose  to  confide 
except  to  a  heart  capable  of  understanding  them,  and  she 
was  well  aware  that  Fanny  would  not  understand  hers. 

Madeleine  suddenly  entered  her  mistress's  room,  and 
said: 

"  Mamzelle,  a  young  man  wants  to  speak  to  you." 

"  To  me  ?     He  probably  has  business  with  my  father." 

"  No,  mamzelle ;  it  was  you  he  asked  to  see — and 
monsieur  your  father  isn't  at  home,  either." 

"  Very  well !  show  him  in." 

Soon  the  door  opened  anew,  and  Gustave  appeared 
before  Adolphine.  The  girl  uttered  an  exclamation,  for 


200  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

she  recognized  him  at  once;  and  she  was  so  disturbed 
that  she  had  to  lean  upon  a  chair. 

"  What !  is  it  you,  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  "  she  murmured. 

Madeleine  retired,  for  she  read  in  her  mistress's  eyes 
that  the  visit  caused  her  no  displeasure. 

"Yes,  Mademoiselle  Adolphine,"  Gustave  replied; 
"  yes,  my  dear  sister.  Ah !  allow  me  to  call  you  by  that 
name  still,  as  I  used,  for  we  have  had  no  falling-out; 
you  have  not  spurned  me,  and  I  venture  to  hope  that  you 
still  feel  for  me  a  little  of  that  sweet  friendship  which 
you  seemed  to  feel  in  the  old  days." 

Adolphine  was  so  perturbed  that  she  could  hardly 
stammer : 

"Of  course — yes — I  have  no  reason  not  to  be  the 
same  as  always  with  you.  But  do  sit  down,  Monsieur 
Gustave.  Mon  Dieu  ! — how  strange  it  is ! — it's  only 
five  months  since  we  saw  each  other — and  you  seem 

changed Oh !  not  for  the  worse — on  the  contrary — 

you  have  a  more  serious,  more  thoughtful,  air  than  before. 
Is  it  the  result  of  your  travels  ?  " 

Adolphine  was  right ;  the  five  months  which  Gustave 
had  passed  away  from  France  had  wrought  a  very  con- 
siderable change  in  him,  to  his  advantage ;  he  had  lost 
that  bewildered,  hare-brained  look  which  people  used  to 
criticise  in  him;  now  he  was  a  man — young,  no  doubt, 
but  whose  serious,  sedate,  sensible  aspect  indicated  a 
person  who  was  accustomed  to  think  before  speaking, 
and  to  reflect  before  acting.  His  face  had  gained  vastly 
by  the  change ;  his  manner  was  colder,  perhaps,  but  you 
realized  that  you  could  rely  on  what  he  said.  Lastly, 
the  faintest  shadow  of  melancholy  that  could  still  be 
detected  on  his  brow  gave  an  added  charm  to  the  gentle 
expression  of  his  eyes  and  to  the  tone  of  his  voice. 


A    CONSTANT  LOVER  2OI 

Adolphine  saw  all  this  at  a  glance :  that  is  all  a  woman 
needs  to  draw  a  man's  portrait.  With  trembling  hand 
she  pointed  to  a  chair,  and  Gustave  sat  down  beside  her 
with  an  ease  of  manner  which  covered  no  hidden  motive. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  my  travels  have  changed  me," 
said  the  young  man ;  "  they  may,  perhaps,  have  matured 
my  mind  somewhat;  they  have  made  me  a  better  busi- 
ness man.  I  realize  fully  now  that  I  did  some  things 
which  lacked  common-sense,  and  I  shall  not  make  such 
a  fool  of  myself  again ! " 

"  Oh !  you  are  cured  of  your  love  for  Fanny  ?  "  cried 
Adolphine,  with  an  expression  of  delight  which  she  could 
'not  restrain. 

"  No,  dear  Adolphine,  no,  that  is  not  what  I  meant ! " 
replied  Gustave,  sadly ;  "  do  what  I  will,  I  haven't  yet 
been  able  to  drive  that  love  from  my  heart.  But  I  meant 
simply  that  that  unhappy  passion  will  not  lead  me  into 
doing  any  more  such  absurd,  unreasonable  things  as  I 
once  did.  I  have  become  a  man;  if  I  suffer,  I  can  at 
least  conceal  my  suffering.  I  have  learned  to  respect  the 
happiness  of  other  people — the  desire  to  disturb  it  is  very 
far  from  my  thoughts !  I  realize,  in  short,  that  I  ought, 
above  all  things,  to  avoid  the  presence  of  her  who  cannot, 
should  not,  sympathize  with  the  pain  she  causes  me." 

Adolphine  turned  her  head  away  to  conceal  the  tears 
which  filled  her  eyes,  murmuring : 

"  Mon  Dieu !  do  you  still  love  her  as  dearly  as  ever  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  whether  it  is  less  or  more — I  don't  know 
how  much  I  love  her;  and  I  would  give  anything  in  the 
world  to  cease  thinking  of  her !  But  I  cannot — do  what 
I  will,  her  image  is  always  here.  I  forget  that  she  flirted 
with  me — that  she  pretended  to  love  me,  only  to  throw 
me  over  the  next  minute.  I  say  to  myself  that  all  women 


202  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

try  to  please,  and  that  they  cannot  love  all  the  men 
they  have  fascinated.  I  say  to  myself  that  this  Monsieur 
Auguste  Monleard  offered  her  a  brilliant  fortune,  and  all 
the  pleasures,  all  the  enjoyment,  all  the  luxury,  in  which, 
to  a  young  woman,  the  happiness  of  life  consists. — I  say 
all  this  to  myself,  and  I  understand  perfectly  how  she 
could  have  refused  the  poor  clerk's  hand  to  accept  that 
of  the  man  who  was  wealthy  and  distinguished.  So 
that,  if  I  am  unhappy,  I  can  blame  nothing  but  fortune — 
and  Fanny  is  so  pretty,  so  fascinating,  so  well  worthy  to 
shine  in  society !  She  will  never  be  mine,  and  yet  I  love 
her — yes,  I  still  love  her!  They  say  that  men  don't  know 
the  meaning  of  constancy;  but  you  see  that  that  isn't 
true,  Adolphine ;  you  see  that  there  are  some  who  can 
love  faithfully — and,  unluckily,  they  are  the  ones  who 
are  not  loved." 

Adolphine  did  not  reply  for  some  time ;  she  was  suffo- 
cating, she  could  not  keep  back  the  tears  which  dimmed 
her  sight.  Gustave  saw  them ;  he  seized  her  hand  and 
pressed  it,  crying : 

"You  weep — dear  sister! — my  unhappiness  makes  you 
shed  tears.  Oh !  forgive  me  for  coming  here  and  grieving 
you  by  the  story  of  my  suffering." 

"Yes — it  does  grieve  me  to  know  that  you  are  un- 
happy! But,  after  all,  it  seems  to  me  that  you  ought  to 
try — that  you  do  not  make  enough  effort  to  divert  your 
thoughts ;  you  see,  when  one  has  no  hope,  one  ought  to 
forget." 

"  Oh !  that  makes  no  difference  at  all." 

"  Yes,  it  is  possible. — How  long  since  you  returned  to 
Paris  ?  " 

"  Only  last  evening ;  and,  as  you  see,  I  came  to  you  at 
once  this  morning." 


A    CONSTANT  LOVER  203 

"  Yes— to  talk  to  me  about  her ! " 

"I  admit  it — but  to  see  you,  too, — you  who  have 
always  shown  me  so  much  affection,  and  whom  I  am  so 
happy  to  call  my  sister  still !  " 

"  Oh !  of  course — because  that  was  the  name  you  gave 
me  when  you  were  to  marry  Fanny!  But  you  don't 
know — I  have  not  dared  to  tell  you  that  father  says  that 
you  must  not  come  to  our  house  any  more ! " 

"  Not  come  here  any  more !     Why  not,  pray  ?  " 

"  Why,  because  of  that  unfortunate  duel " 

"  Duel !     What  do  you  mean  ?     What  duel  ?  " 

"  What !  you  don't  know  ?  Hasn't  your  uncle  told 
you  about  it?" 

"  I  told  you  that  I  only  arrived  last  night ;  my  uncle 
talked  about  nothing  but  matters  of  business,  which  are 
of  much  more  importance  in  his  eyes  than  anything  else. 
Tell  me  what  duel  you  are  talking  about  ?  " 

"  Do  you  remember  the  man  who  dined  with  you  on 
the  day  of  my  sister's  wedding  ?  " 

"  Yes,  a  curious  creature  whom  I  happened  to  meet — 
and  who  took  pity  on  the  state  of  frenzy  I  was  in  at 
that  time." 

"  Was  he  a  friend  of  yours  ?  " 

"  As  I  tell  you,  I  had  known  him  only  a  few  hours ; 
but  I  had  lost  my  head  that  day ;  you  know  that  better 
than  anybody,  dear  Adolphine,  for  you  found  time,  even 
on  that  day,  to  come  to  me  and  say  a  few  comforting 
words. — But  what  about  that  man  ?  " 

"  Well,  at  night,  when  my  sister  went  away  from  the 
ball  with  her  husband,  he  was  standing  near,  just  as  they 
were  entering  their  carriage.  That  man — he  was  drunk, 
no  doubt,  but  still  he  insulted  my  sister." 

"  The  villain !     He  dared " 


204  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Yes,  he  said  :  '  There  goes  the  faithless  Fanny ! ' — 
My  sister,  who  heard  the  words  plainly,  told  me  herself. 
Was  that  an  insult?  Tell  me  frankly,  Monsieur  Gustave, 
hadn't  you  yourself  applied  that  name  to  my  sister  more 
than  once  that  day  ?  " 

"  It  is  quite  possible ;  but  I  was  out  of  my  head,  I 
didn't  know  what  I  was  saying.  That  did  not  give  that 
fellow,  whose  very  name  I  don't  remember,  the  right  to 
repeat  my  words." 

"Auguste  heard  him,  and  the  next  day  he  fought  a 
duel  with  the  man." 

"  And  what  was  the  result  ?  " 

"  A  sword-thrust  in  my  brother-in-law's  forearm,  which 
forced  him  to  carry  his  arm  in  a  sling  at  least  six 
weeks." 

"  Mon  Dieu !  that  incident  may  well  have  occasioned 
unfortunate  scenes  between  the  husband  and  wife;  it  may 
have  disturbed  the  domestic  happiness  of — your  sister. 
She  probably  accused  me  of  being  the  original  cause  of 
the  duel !  This  is  maddening !  " 

"Don't  be  alarmed,  Monsieur  Gustave!  you  don't  know 
Fanny!  The  affair  affected  her  very  little,  her  happiness 
wasn't  disturbed  by  it  for  a  single  minute.  She  goes  to 
some  festivity,  amuses  herself  in  some  way,  every  day  ! 
Oh  !  she  is  happy." 

"  So  much  the  better !  And  her  husband — he  adores 
her  still,  I  fancy  ?  " 

"  As  to  that,  I  can't  answer.  If  they  adore  each  other, 
it  hardly  appears  on  the  surface !  " 

"  What !  Fanny  doesn't  love  her  husband  ?  " 

"  I  don't  say  that  she  doesn't  love  him !  but  my  sister 
isn't  capable  of  loving  like  us — like  you,  I  mean.  She 
has  so  much  to  take  up  her  time  in  the  way  of  gowns, 


A    CONSTANT  LOVER  205 

head-dresses,  new  styles,  and  so  forth !  How  do  you 
suppose  she  can  find  time  to  love  her  husband  ?  " 

"  However,  I  am  entirely  innocent  in  this  matter  of  the 
duel." 

"  Oh !  that  is  what  I  have  always  told  father,  who  has 
only  known  it  a  few  days,  by  the  way.  For,  as  you  can 
imagine,  they  didn't  publish  it.  Monsieur  Monleard's 
injury  was  supposed  to  have  been  caused  by  a  fall  on 
the  stairs." 

"  But  why  doesn't  your  father  want  me  to  come  here  ? 
It  wasn't  a  crime  to  love  his  elder  daughter  and  to  aspire 
to  her  hand !  It  is  true,  I  was  very  poor,  then  ;  to-day,  I 
could  offer  her  more ;  my  uncle,  who  is  very  well  satis- 
fied with  the  way  I  attend  to  business  now,  said  to  me 
at  breakfast  this  morning :  '  From  to-day,  I  give  you  an 
interest  in  my  business,  and  I  guarantee  you  not  less 
than  ten  thousand  francs  a  year,  whether  there  are  any 
profits  or  not.'  " 

"  Ah  !  that  is  very  nice,  Monsieur  Gustave ;  I  am  very 
glad  for  you." 

"  Dear  little  sister !  If  you  knew  how  indifferently  I 
received  the  news  of  this  increase  in  my  income  !  Ah ! 
that  isn't  what  I  look  to  for  happiness ! " 

"  Nor  I,  either !  But,  as  so  many  people  think  differ- 
ently, probably  we  are  wrong." 

"  I  am  thinking  about  your  father,  who  doesn't  want 
me  to  come  here  any  more." 

"  In  the  first  place,  he  was  convinced  that  there  would 
be  no  need  to  say  anything  to  you  about  it;  that  you 
would  never  have  any  desire  to  come  to  our  house  again." 

"  Why  so,  pray  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  why ;  for  my  part,  I  didn't  think  as  he 
did.  Something  told  me  that  you  would  come — to  hear 


206  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

about  Fanny — to  talk  about  her.  I  guessed  right,  did 
I  not?" 

"  Yes,  yes !  you  read  my  heart." 

"  For  I  know  very  well  that  that  was  the  only  reason 
it  occurred  to  you  to  come  here." 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  am  not  fond  of  you — of  you 
and  your  father  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  I  don't  say  that ;  but  my  father  fears — suppose 
you  should  meet  my  sister  here  ?  " 

"  I  should  be  able  to  act  with  her  as  with  a  person 
who  was  a  total  stranger  to  me.  Does  she  come  to  see 
you  often  ?  " 

"  No,  not  often.  She  has  so  many  other  calls  to  make  ! 
She  knows  so  many  people  now !  " 

At  that  moment  the  bell  rang. 

"  Mon  Dieu  ! "  said  Adolphine ;  "  if  it  should  be  my 
father!" 

"Why,  I  will  go  and  offer  him  my  hand,  and  I  am 
sure  that  he  won't  refuse  it." 

"  But  if  it  should  be " 

Adolphine  had  not  time  to  finish  her  sentence.  The 
door  of  her  chamber  was  hastily  thrown  open,  and  her 
sister  entered. 


A   WOMAN  OF  FASHION  207 


XXIX 

A  WOMAN  OF  FASHION 

Fanny  was  resplendent  in  costume,  jewels,  and  style ; 
and  it  must  be  said  that,  like  all  women  with  whom  per- 
sonal adornment  is  a  special  study,  she  carried  her  splen- 
dor well,  and  that  it  added  materially  to  the  attractions 
she  had  received  from  nature. 

The  young  woman  was  nowise  perturbed  at  sight  of 
Gustave  Darlemont;  she  honored  him  with  an  affable 
smile,  and  her  vanity  seemed  flattered  that  he  whose  hand 
she  had  refused  should  see  her  now  in  all  the  glory  of  her 
good-fortune  and  her  magnificent  toilet.  Adolphine,  on 
the  contrary,  was  pale  and  trembling.  As  for  Gustave, 
he  could  not  conceal  the  emotion  he  felt  on  seeing  Fanny 
again,  and  especially  in  such  seductive  guise. 

"  Bonjour,  little  sister !  "  said  Fanny,  kissing  Adolphine. 
— "  But,  I  cannot  be  mistaken — this  is  Monsieur  Gustave. 
I  am  delighted  to  see  you,  monsieur." 

Gustave  barely  managed  to  stammer : 

"  Madame — I  confess  that  I  did  not  expect — to  meet 
you  here." 

"  Why,  it  seems  to  me  quite  natural  that  I  should  come 
to  my  father's  house.  To  be  sure,  it  doesn't  happen  very 
often :  I  have  so  little  time  to  myself!  When  one  goes 
much  into  society,  one  must  make  and  receive  so  many 
calls,  dress,  give  orders  when  one  entertains.  And,  by 
the  way,  we  give  a  large  party  in  six  days,  to  inaugurate 
our  winter  evenings. — I  came  to  tell  you,  Adolphine,  so 
that  you  may  have  time  to  prepare  a  bewitching  costume, 


2o8  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

do  you  hear  ?  I  will  advise  you,  of  course,  for  you  don't 
keep  very  well  abreast  of  the  fashions. — But  I  thought 
that  you  were  abroad,  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  " 

"  I  have  just  come  from  Spain,  mademoiselle — I  beg 
your  pardon — madame.  I  have  been  away  about  five 
months." 

"  Indeed !  then  that  is  why  you  look  so  brown ;  but 
that  doesn't  do  you  any  harm — far  from  it.  Did  you 
enjoy  yourself?  " 

"  Enjoy  myself?  not  exactly  that,  madame ;  but  that 
wasn't  what  I  went  for." 

"  They  say  that  the  women  are  very  pretty  in  Spain ; 
that  their  eyes,  especially,  are  dazzlingly  bright.  Is  it 
true,  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  Did  you  see  any  eyes  in  that 
country  that  excel  those  of  us  Frenchwomen  ? " 

"  I  saw  none,  madame,  which  could  be  compared 
to " 

The  young  man  checked  himself,  and  added : 

"  I  saw  none  which  made  me  forget  those  of  the  Parisian 
women." 

"  Good !  that  is  very  polite !  And  you  are  settled  in 
Paris  now?" 

"  I  do  not  know,  madame ;  that  will  depend  on — my 
uncle." 

"  Well,  monsieur,  while  you  are  here,  if  it  will  afford 
you  any  pleasure  to  come  to  our  evenings  at  home, 
Monsieur  Monleard,  I  am  sure,  will  be  delighted  to  see 
you.  At  all  events,  he  allows  me  to  invite  whom  I  choose 
— and  he  does  the  same.  I  greet  his  friends  courteously, 
he  does  as  much  for  mine ;  in  that  way,  we  always  agree. 
Stay !  next  Thursday,  as  I  was  saying  to  my  sister,  we 
give  a  large  party ;  there  will  be  everything :  music,  dan- 
cing, cards,  and  supper;  it  will  last  all  night,  and  we 


A    WOMAN  OF  FASHION  209 

shall  have  lots  of  fun.  You  must  come.  We  shall 
have  all  Paris — that  is  to  say,  all  the  best  artists,  all  the 
celebrities.  Will  you  come  ?  " 

Gustave  was  struck  dumb  by  this  invitation,  and  espe- 
cially by  the  light,  careless  tone  in  which  it  was  offered ; 
he  was  more  distressed  than  gratified,  and  answered,  with 
a  low  bow : 

"  No,  madame ;  I  shall  not  have  the  honor  of  accepting 
your  invitation." 

"  Indeed !     And  why  not,  may  I  ask,  monsieur?  " 

"  Why,  because — at  this  party — in  your  husband's 
house — it  seems  to  me,  madame,  that  I  should  be  out 
of  place ;  and  I  am  sure  beforehand  that  I  should  take 
no  pleasure  in  it.  Pray  receive,  madame,  my  thanks  and 
my  adieux." 

Thereupon  Gustave  went  up  to  Adolphine,  who  had 
listened  without  a  word,  and  pressed  her  hand,  saying  in 
an  undertone: 

"  Adieu,  my  only  friend !  Ah !  your  father  is  right :  it 
is  much  better  that  I  should  not  come  here  again." 

Gustave  left  the  room.  Adolphine  had  difficulty  in 
concealing  her  grief.  Fanny,  meanwhile,  looked  at  her- 
self in  a  mirror,  saying : 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  Monsieur  Gustave,  I  wonder  ? 
He  had  a  very  tragic  air  as  he  left  us.  It  wasn't  polite 
of  him  to  refuse  my  invitation.  And  I  fancied  that  it 
would  give  him  the  greatest  pleasure !  There  are  so 
many  young  men  who  would  be  overjoyed  to  have  the 
opportunity  to  come  to  my  evenings !  " 

"  In  your  eyes,  Monsieur  Gustave  ought  not  to  be  like 
other  young  men.  And  I  cannot  conceive  how  you  could 
have  dreamed  of  urging  him  to  come  to  see  you,"  re- 
joined Adolphine,  in  a  trembling  voice. 


2io  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  Why  not,  I  should  like  to  know  ?  You  seem  to  be 
surprised  at  everything  !  " 

"  But  after  all  that  happened  between  you  before  you 
were  married " 

"  All  what  ?  Monsieur  Gustave  was  in  love  with  me. 
Ah !  there  are  many  others  who  are  in  love  with  me 
to-day — yes,  and  who  pay  court  to  me,  too.  But  that 
won't  keep  them  from  coming  to  dance  at  our  ball — 
quite  the  contrary ;  and  they  have  engaged  me  before- 
hand for  I  don't  know  how  many  contra-dances.  But 
I  shall  take  only  those  whom  I  like.  I  would  have 
done  as  much  for  Gustave;  or,  rather,  I  would  have  given 
him  the  preference — I  would  have  let  him  have  more 
dances." 

"  But  don't  you  see  that  Gustave  still  loves  you  ?  that 
he  can't  accustom  himself  to  seeing  you  as  another  man's 
wife,  and  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  meet  your 
husband  ?  " 

"  Do  you  think  that  that  young  man  still  loves  me  so 
much  as  that  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure ;  he  was  just  telling  me  so  himself  when 
you  came." 

"Ah !  the  poor  boy !  I  am  sorry  for  him,  but  I  thought 
he  had  grown  reasonable!  A  constant  lover!  Why,  the 
fellow  is  a  perfect  phoenix !  " 

"  A  phoenix  that  you  would  have  none  of! " 

"  I  don't  repent.  My  husband  is  not  a  phoenix  in  love, 
I  admit.  At  first,  he  adored  me ;  then,  it  suddenly  passed 
away.  But  I  wasn't  silly  enough  to  groan  over  it.  He  has 
continued  to  lavish  on  me  all  the  pleasures  and  amuse- 
ments that  wealth  can  procure.  What  more  could  I  ask? 
I  consider  myself  the  luckiest  woman  in  Paris.  Whereas 
with  that  poor  Gustave — that  phoenix  of  constancy ! — I 


A    WOMAN  OF  FASHION  211 

should  have  vegetated ;  I  should  have  gone  to  the  play 
on  Sunday,  as  a  treat !  " 

"  Monsieur  Gustave  is  already  in  a  much  better  posi- 
tion. His  uncle  is  so  well  satisfied  with  him  that  he 
gives  him  ten  thousand  francs  a  year  now." 

"  Ten  thousand  francs  !  Well,  yes,  that  is  something. 
One  can  manage  to  live  with  that.  But  how  far  he  is 
still  from  Auguste's  position  !  " 

"And  then,  too,  Fanny,  when  you  invite  Monsieur 
Gustave  to  your  house,  you  seem  to  forget  that  duel. 
Your  husband  knows  that  it  was  he  who  was  in  such 
despair  on  account  of  your  marriage,  and  that  that  was 
the  cause " 

"  Oh !  for  heaven's  sake,  let  me  alone,  Adolphine ! 
My  husband  has  forgotten  all  about  that.  He  has  much 
more  important  things  in  his  head.  When  a  man  is 
intent  on  making  millions,  do  you  suppose  he  wastes  any 
time  on  trifles  of  that  sort  ?  Oh  !  mon  Dieu !  chattering 
here  with  you,  I  forgot  that  I  have  to  call  on  my  broker." 

"  You  have  a  broker,  Fanny  ?  " 

"To  be  sure.  I  speculate  on  the  Bourse,  too — just  to 
amuse  myself  a  little,  you  know.  But  I  do  not  intrust 
my  affairs  to  my  husband,  because  he  would  ridicule 
me.  Adieu,  little  sister!  Make  your  preparations  for 
our  grand  party  on  Thursday.  Oh !  we  shall  have  much 
sport.  I  am  going  to  have  a  ravishing  gown." 

Madame  Monleard  took  her  leave ;  whereupon  Adol- 
phine sank  into  a  chair,  saying  to  herself: 

"  Now  I  can  cry  at  my  ease,  for  he  said  that  he  should 
not  come  here  any  more  !  " 


212  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


XXX 

THE  SECOND  MEETING 

On  leaving  Monsieur  Gerbault's  house,  Gustave  did 
not  return  at  once  to  his  uncle's  office;  he  felt  that  he 
must  be  by  himself,  in  the  open  air,  and,  although  it  was 
winter,  he  had  no  fear  of  the  cold ;  on  the  contrary,  it 
seemed  to  him  that  the  keen  north  wind  would  cool  his 
blood  and  tranquillize  his  mind,  which  the  sight  of  Fanny 
had  overturned  anew. 

Having  her  before  his  eyes,  more  bewitching  than  ever, 
Gustave  had  realized  how  dearly  he  still  loved  her  who 
had  refused  to  be  his  wife.  And  he  had  already  found,  in 
the  depths  of  his  heart,  innumerable  reasons  to  excuse  her 
conduct;  in  his  eyes,  she  was  rather  frivolous  than  guilty. 

Now  that  he  had  seen  Fanny  again,  that  she  had  talked 
with  him  as  pleasantly  as  before  her  marriage,  and  had 
urged  him  to  call  upon  her,  Gustave  did  not  know  what 
to  believe,  what  to  think,  what  to  conjecture,  from  it  all. 
He  asked  himself  why  she  wanted  to  see  him.  Whether  it 
was  because  she  still  felt  some  affection  for  him,  whether 
she  derived  any  pleasure  from  his  presence,  whether  she 
sympathized  secretly  with  his  grief;  or  was  it  simply  for 
the  purpose  of  flaunting  in  his  face  her  brilliant  social 
position,  her  superb  gowns,  and  the  homage  that  was 
paid  to  her? 

Gustave  walked  a  long  time  at  random  on  the  boule- 
vard, where  he  met  very  few  people,  on  account  of 
the  cold. 


THE  SECOND  MEETING  213 

"  No,"  he  said  to  himself;  "  I  will  not  go  to  her  house ! 
Have  I  courage  to  be  a  witness  of  her  husband's  happi- 
ness ?  Moreover,  her  husband  hasn't  invited  me ;  it 
seems  to  me  that  he  is  sure  to  receive  me  very  coldly. 
That's  what  I  would  do  in  his  place.  But  Fanny  didn't 
think  of  what  she  was  saying ;  she  invited  me  thought- 
lessly— or  else  from  simple  courtesy.  Ah  !  she  is  very 
pretty  still ;  she's  a  hundred  times  more  fascinating  than 
ever !  I  did  very  wrong  to  go  to  Monsieur  Gerbault's  !  " 

Suddenly  the  melancholy  lover  was  roused  from  his 
reflections  by  someone  who  threw  his  arms  about  him, 
embraced  him,  and  kissed  him  on  the  cheek,  crying : 

"  Ah !  here  he  is !  it  is  he !  At  last  I  have  found  him 
— my  dear,  good  Gustave !  Victory !  Castor  has  found 
Pollux !  I  have  my  cue ! 

"  '  And  since  I've  found  my  faithful  friend, 
My  luck  will  take  a  different  trend ! '  " 

Gustave  struggled  to  free  himself,  in  order  to  see  the 
face  of  the  individual  who  was  so  lavish  of  tokens  of 
affection,  and  he  finally  recognized  his  impromptu  friend 
of  Fanny's  wedding  day,  the  man  with  whom  he  had 
dined  at  DerHeux's. 

Cherami  was  the  same  as  always.  But  his  costume 
seemed  even  shabbier  in  the  cold  weather  then  prevailing 
than  in  summer ;  for  his  frock-coat,  more  threadbare  than 
ever,  was  drawn  so  tightly  across  his  shoulders  that  one 
could  see  that  there  was  nothing  under  it;  his  plaid 
trousers,  worn  thinner  than  ever,  evidently  afforded  his 
legs  very  little  protection  against  the  sharp  north  wind ; 
and  the  Courbichon  hat,  by  dint  of  being  planted  on  the 
side  of  his  head,  was  beginning  to  resemble  the  one  it 
had  replaced.  But  all  this  did  not  prevent  the  ci-devant 


214  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

Beau  Arthur  from  holding  himself  erect  and  eying  every- 
body he  met  from  top  to  toe. 

"  Why,  it  is  Monsieur " 

"  Arthur  Cherami.  Yes,  my  dear  fellow ;  it  is  I,  your 
faithful  friend,  your  Pylades,  who  has  been  seeking  you 
over  hill  and  dale,  and  who  even  called  to  inquire  for 
you  at  your  uncle's, — Grandcourt,  the  banker, — who,  I  am 
bound  to  say,  did  not  receive  me  with  all  the  considera- 
tion I  deserve !  But  uncles  are  not  very  amiable,  as  a 
general  rule.  He  told  me  that  you  were  in  Spain." 

"  He  told  the  truth ;  I  returned  only  last  night." 

"  And  I  have  been  scouring  the  four  quarters  of  Paris 
every  day,  saying  to  myself:  '  If  Gustave  has  returned, 
I  cannot  help  meeting  him.' — And  here  you  are,  my  dear 
friend,  whose  absence  seemed  so  long !  Well !  don't  we 
propose  to  shake  hands  with  our  intimate  friend,  on  whose 
bosom  we  poured  out  our  woes  ?  " 

But  Gustave  hesitated  to  give  his  hand  to  Cherami, 
and  replied  in  a  serious  tone : 

"  Before  shaking  hands  with  you,  monsieur,  I  must 
have  an  explanation  with  you.  You  fought  a  duel  with 
Monsieur  Auguste  Monleard,  and  you  made  that  duel 
inevitable  by  addressing  an  insulting  remark  to  his  bride. 
By  what  right  did  you  take  that  step  ?  Why  did  you  do 
it  ?  for  what  object  ?  Come,  answer  me." 

"Ah !  par  la  sambleu !  this  is  a  cross-examination  which 
I  was  far  from  expecting !  I  fight  in  a  friend's  cause,  I 
wound  his  fortunate  rival — I  didn't  kill  him,  to  be  sure ;  but 
still,  I  might  have  killed  him.  Then,  your  charmer  would 
have  been  a  widow,  and  you  would  have  married  her!" 

"Ah !  I  thank  heaven  that  Monsieur  Monleard  got  off 
with  a  wound  in  the  arm!  If  you  had  killed  him,  I 
should  have  been  accused  of  the  murder ! " 


THE  SECOND  MEETING  215 

"  What's  that  ?  you  ?  Everybody  knows  that  it  wasn't 
you  who  fought  with  him.  I  see  a  young  man,  miserable, 
desperate,  because  the  woman  he  loves  marries  another. 
That  young  man  interests  me.  I  dine  with  him,  and  he 
pours  his  sorrows  into  my  bosom.  Every  instant,  he  com- 
plains of  the  perfidy  of  the  woman  who  has  deceived 
him;  and,  that  same  day,  when  I  chance  to  meet  that 
faithless  creature  on  her  conqueror's  arm,  you  would  not 
have  me  try  to  avenge  my  friend's  wrongs  ?  Damna- 
tion !  what  the  devil  do  you  understand  by  friendship, 
I  wonder?  If  that's  your  idea  of  it,  why,  adieu,  bonjour, 
let's  say  no  more  about  it !  Go  and  look  elsewhere  for 
friends ;  but  you  won't  find  my  sort  lying  around  by  the 
dozen ! " 

Gustave  detained  Cherami  as  he  turned  away,  and 
offered  him  his  hand,  saying : 

"  Come,  come,  don't  get  excited,  hot-head  !  I  see 
that  one  cannot  bear  you  a  grudge ;  give  me  your 
hand ! " 

"  This  is  very  fortunate.  He  realizes  at  last  that  I  am 
entirely  devoted  to  him,  and  that  his  happiness  alone  is 
my  object." 

"  My  dear  monsieur " 

"  Don't  call  me  monsieur,  or  it  will  be  my  turn  to  be 
angry ! " 

"  Very  well !  my  dear  Arthur,  that  duel  of  yours  an- 
noyed me  very  much,  because  I  was  afraid  that  it  would 
have  set  Fanny  against  me  altogether.  But,  thank 
heaven !  it  did  nothing  of  the  kind." 

"As  if  women  were  ever  angry  because  a  man  fights 
for  them  !  You  evidently  don't  know  them ;  on  the  con- 
trary, it  flatters  their  self-esteem — it  serves  to  set  them 
off  a  little." 


216  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  I  have  just  seen  Fanny,  I  met  her  at  her  sister's.  I 
didn't  expect  to  see  her  there.  Ah  !  if  you  knew — I  am 
still  all  upset  by  that  meeting." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  still  love  that  young  woman?  " 

"  Do  I  love  her  !  Alas !  yes,  I  love  her  still,  and  I  feel 
that  my  passion  will  make  my  whole  life  miserable." 

"  Did  the  little  lady  receive  you  coldly  ?  " 

"  Why,  no ;  on  the  contrary,  she  gave  me  a  most 
delicious  smile,  and  talked  to  me  just  as  she  used  to 
before  her  marriage.  In  fact, — can  you  believe  it  ? — 
she  invited  me  to  a  large  party  that  she  gives  next 
Thursday." 

"And  still  you  have  a  sad,  woe-begone  air!  why,  I 
should  say  that  you  have  every  reason  to  rejoice ! " 

"Why  so?"   ' 

"  Because  when  this  lady,  who  knows  that  you  once 
adored  her,  and  who  must  have  seen  that  you  love  her 
still — when,  I  say,  she  asks  you  to  come  and  see  her,  it 
means  that  she  proposes  to  reward  you  for  your  con- 
stancy— to  crown  your  passion.  Pardieu !  that's  not  hard 
to  understand.  Go  to  her  party,  my  dear  friend,  and 
I'll  stake  my  head  that  within  six  weeks  the  husband  has 
rooms  at  the  sign  of  the  Stag  or  the  Crescent,  as  long  as 
you  choose." 

"Ah  !  what  do  you  presume  to  imply  ?  You  imagine 
that  Fanny  is  capable  of  betraying  her  husband,  of  for- 
getting her  duty  ?  No,  no  !  she  may  be  fickle,  coquettish, 
if  you  please,  but  she  will  never  be  guilty.  And  I  my- 
self— oh !  that  is  not  my  conception  of  love.  A  woman 
who  shares  her  favors — who  pretends  to  feel  for  one 
man  the  love  which  she  really  feels  for  another — oh  !  I 
should  soon  cease  to  love  such  a  woman  !  " 

Cherami  shook  his  head,  as  he  muttered : 


THE  SECOND  MEETING  217 

"  You  are  young,  my  dear  Gustave ;  you  are  very 
young !  You  don't  know  the  world  as  I  do.  You  say 
that  you  still  adore  your  Fanny,  and  that  you  wouldn't 
have  her  deceive  her  husband  for  you  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  she  wouldn't  do  it !  " 

"  I  am  strongly  inclined  to  believe  the  contrary ;  but 
let  us  admit  that  you  are  right.  I  see  but  one  means  of 
making  you  happy,  and  that  is  to  carry  the  young  woman 
off  Do  you  want  me  to  do  that  ?  I'll  undertake  it,  if 
you  do." 

"  No,  my  dear  Arthur;  I  have  never  had  such  a  thought. 
Fanny  has  all  that  she  wants — she  is  happy ;  I  shall  be 
very  careful  to  avoid  disturbing  her  happiness ;  I  have 
neither  the  right  nor  the  desire  to  do  so.  But,  as  I  feel 
that  the  sight  of  her  intensifies  my  suffering,  by  reviving 
the  passion  which  I  am  trying  to  extinguish ;  as  I  do  not 
wish  to  expose  myself — for  some  time,  at  least — to  the 
chance  of  meeting  her  at  the  theatre  or  in  society,  why, 
I  shall  leave  Paris,  and  travel  once  more.  My  uncle 
always  has  business  in  other  countries,  and  he  will  not 
be  sorry  to  employ  me  in  that  way  again." 

"  That's  a  crazy  idea  of  yours  !  So,  if  your  love  hap- 
pens to  hang  on,  that  little  woman  will  make  you  do  the 
tour  of  the  world  ?  " 

"  Let  us  hope  that  time  will  cure  me." 

"  There  is  something  that  works  quicker  than  time  in 
the  cure  of  love ;  to  wit,  another  love.  You  ought  to 
have  had  ten  mistresses  in  Spain." 

"  Impossible !     I  thought  of  nobody  but  her." 

"  You  can  fairly  boast  of  being  a  paladin  of  the  good 
old  times.  You  could  have  given  Roland  and  Amadis 
points.  So  you  are  going  to  leave  Paris  again !  Would 
you  like  me  to  travel  with  you  ?  " 


2i8  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Thanks !  my  company  is  far  from  agreeable ;  my  sole 
pleasure  consists  in  musing  by  myself — thinking  of  the 
happiness  to  which  I  looked  forward  for  some  time,  but 
which  I  am  never  to  know." 

"We  would  have  sought  adventures  together,  aye, 
and  found  them  too,  I  promise  you !  That  would  have 
diverted  your  thoughts." 

"  I  do  not  care  to  divert  my  thoughts,  as  my  only 
pleasure  is  the  thought  of  her." 

"  Sapristi !  yours  is  a  devilishly  persistent  passion ! 
However,  as  you're  so  obstinate " 

Cherami  paused,  and  seemed  to  reflect  upon  the  best 
means  of  changing  the  subject. 


XXXI 

A  NEW  SWITCH 

"  In  that  case,  it  will  be  another  long  while  before  I  see 
you  again  ?  "  he  said  at  last.  "  That  troubles  me — espe- 
cially as  there  are  times  when  a  friend  is  very  essential !  " 

Cherami  shook  his  head,  rubbed  his  chin,  and  added, 
between  his  teeth : 

"  I  haven't  my  cue  at  this  moment — I  need  it  dam- 
nably!" 

Gustave  glanced  at  the  ex-beau,  whose  piteous  ex- 
pression was  even  more  noticeable  against  his  wretched 
costume ;  then  he  exclaimed  : 

"  Can  I  do  anything  for  you,  my  dear  friend  ?  If  so, 
tell  me,  I  beg;  I  should  be  happy  to  be  of  any  service 
to  you ! " 


A  NEW  SWITCH  219 

"  Faith !  my  dear  fellow,  I  will  not  conceal  from  you 
that  I  am  at  this  moment  absolutely  cleaned  out.  I 
counted  on  some  money  that  was  owing  me ;  my  quar- 
terly income  isn't  due  for  six  weeks." 

"  You  need  money  ?  Why,  in  heaven's  name,  didn't 
you  tell  me  ?  I  am  entirely  at  your  service.  How  much 
do  you  need  ?  " 

"  Why,  at  this  moment — it's  very  cold — my  rascal  of 
a  tailor  broke  his  word — so — I  ought  to  have — say,  a 
hundred  francs,  to  furbish  me  up  a  bit." 

"  A  hundred  francs !  Why,  you  couldn't  do  anything 
with  that.  Here,  my  good  friend,  here's  five  hundred  ! 
Take  it ;  I  can  spare  it." 

Gustave  took  a  banknote  from  his  wallet  as  he  spoke, 
and  handed  it  to  Cherami,  who  could  not  restrain  a  joyful 
movement  when  he  received  that  windfall ;  he  seized  the 
young  man's  hand  and  pressed  it  with  all  his  strength, 
crying : 

"  Ah  !  you  are  the  friend  I  have  dreamed  about !  My 
dear  Gustave,  I  shall  never  forget  what  you  do  for  me 
at  this  moment !  Henceforth  we  are  friends  in  life  and 
death !  I  cannot  name  the  exact  day  when  I  shall  be 
able  to  repay  this  money " 

"  Eh  ?  who  said  anything  about  that  ?  I  have  more 
money  than  I  need,  and,  I  say  again,  I  am  delighted  to 
be  able  to  be  of  service  to  you." 

"  Excellent  and  worthy  friend !  You  are  made  on  the 
antique  pattern ;  you  have  something  of  Socrates  and  of 
Marcus  Aurelius  about  you.  So  you  don't  want  me  to 
kidnap  Fanny  ?  " 

"  No,  I  won't  have  it !  " 

"  Well,  if  you  change  your  mind,  you  have  only  to 
write  me  a  line  at  the  same  address :  Cherami,  Hotel 


220  •        MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

du  Bel-Air,  Rue  de  1'Orillon,  Belleville.  By  the  way,  I 
will  call  on  your  uncle's  concierge  now  and  then,  to  find 
out  whether  you  have  returned.  Sapristi !  it  pains  me  to 
have  you  go." 

"  I  shall  return — and  perhaps  I  shall  be  more  reason- 
able." 

"  Then  we  will  enjoy  ourselves,  we  will  laugh  and  make 
merry !  Au  revoir,  then,  my  dear  Gustave  !  If  you  have 
any  commission  for  me,  write  me  a  line.  But  prepay 
your  letters,  for  my  hostess  has  a  habit  of  refusing  to 
take  in  those  that  have  to  be  paid  for." 

"  What !  even  when  they  are  for  her  tenants  ?  " 

"  Above  all,  when  they  are  for  her  tenants." 

Gustave  walked  away  after  shaking  hands  with  Cher- 
ami,  who  looked  after  him  with  a  touched  expression, 
saying  to  himself: 

"Excellent  heart!  he  reconciles  me  with  mankind; 
clearly,  there  still  are  such  things  as  friends ;  they  are 
rare,  but,  still,  they  do  exist,  and  it's  simply  a  matter  of 
finding  them.  Now,  I  must  see  about  getting  some  com- 
fortable duds;  that  won't  be  an  extravagance.  When 
anyone  brushes  against  me,  I  am  always  afraid  he'll  carry 
away  a  piece  of  my  coat." 

Cherami  soon  found  one  of  the  great  furnishing  shops 
where  you  can  procure  a  complete  change  of  raiment, 
from  head  to  foot.  He  bought  a  pair  of  trousers,  very 
full,  a  thickly  padded  waistcoat,  and  a  roomy  coat ;  and 
he  put  them  all  on  over  the  clothes  he  was  wearing. 

"  I  am  like  Bias,  one  of  the  seven  sages  of  Greece,"  he 
said ;  "  I  carry  my  whole  wardrobe  on  my  back." 

Cherami  made  all  these  purchases  for  ninety  francs. 
He  left  the  shop  much  stouter  than  he  entered,  and  his 
double  trousers  compelled  him  to  walk  with  a  certain 


A   NEW  SWITCH  221 

gravity.  But  he  was  so  content,  he  considered  himself 
so  comely  in  his  new  clothes,  that  he  smiled  benignly  on 
everybody,  even  on  the  cabmen  who  passed  him.  But 
something  was  still  lacking :  since  he  had  restored  Mon- 
sieur Courbichon's  cane,  he  had  not  replaced  it,  for  lack 
of  funds ;  and  that  was  to  him  a  great  privation.  Now 
he  could  gratify  his  longing ;  a  man  who  has  four  hun- 
dred and  ten  francs  in  his  pocket,  after  purchasing  a  new 
outfit  throughout,  can  well  afford  to  humor  his  fancy  for 
a  cane. 

Cherami  spied  a  shop  where  canes  of  all  sorts  were  for 
sale ;  he  examined  a  score,  among  which  there  were  some 
very  expensive  ones.  After  hesitating  for  some  time  be- 
tween a  superb  Malacca  joint  at  seventy-five  francs,  and 
a  light  switch  at  a  hundred  sous,  he  finally  decided  upon 
the  latter.  "  For,  after  all,"  he  reflected,  "  I  don't  need  a 
cane  to  lean  on !  Thank  God,  I  haven't  the  gout !  I 
will  take  the  switch;  it  can  be  used  as  a  crop  when 
I  ride ;  and  then,  I  like  something  that  bends — one  can 
play  with  it." 

Armed  with  his  switch,  with  which  he  beat  the  air  in 
a  very  unpleasant  fashion  for  those  who  passed  him, 
Cherami  betook  himself  to  the  Palais-Royal,  saying  to 
himself: 

"  I  think  I  will  dine  at  Les  Freres  Provengaux.  I  like 
that  old-fashioned  house;  you  are  always  treated  well 
there.  It's  a  little  dear,  perhaps,  but  one  can't  pay  too 
much  for  what  is  good." 

"  Pray  be  careful,  monsieur !  you  hit  me  with  your 
cane ! " 

"  What's  the  matter,  monsieur  ?  what  are  you  com- 
plaining about  ?  " 

"  You  hit  me  with  your  cane,  I  tell  you." 


222  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  In  the  first  place,  monsieur,  it  isn't  a  cane ;  it's  a 
switch;  in  the  second  place,  you  have  only  to  walk 
farther  away  from  me." 

"  Monsieur,  I  am  on  the  sidewalk,  as  you  are.  I  have 
a  right  to  be  here,  I  fancy." 

"What's  all  this? — Cheap  talk?  impertinence?  If 
you're  not  satisfied,  monsieur,  say  so  at  once ;  I'm  your 
man  ;  I  won't  run  away  !  " 

His  interlocutor,  who  had  not  left  home  with  the  inten- 
tion of  fighting  a  duel,  quickened  his  pace  and  disap- 
peared without  making  any  further  reply. 

Cherami  began  to  wave  his  switch  about  as  before. 

"  These  fellows  are  amazing,  on  my  word ! "  he  mut- 
tered. "  They  want  to  frighten  me  out  of  playing  with 
this  little  stick.  As  if  I  would  put  myself  out — as 
if » 

But  this  time  he  concluded  to  stop,  hearing  the  crash 
of  broken  glass ;  he  had  shattered  with  his  switch  a 
beautiful  mirror  which  formed  part  of  the  show-window 
of  a  perfumer's  shop.  The  mistress  of  the  establishment 
was  already  in  her  doorway,  where  she  said  to  Cherami 
in  an  angry  tone  : 

"  You  broke  that  mirror,  monsieur ;  you  broke  it !  " 

Beau  Arthur,  with  no  outward  indication  of  excite- 
ment, smiled  at  the  perfumeress  as  he  rejoined : 

"  Very  good !  my  dear  woman,  if  I  broke  your  mirror, 
I'll  pay  for  it.  You  shouldn't  lose  your  temper  for  a  little 
thing  like  that.  How  much  will  it  cost  to  replace  it  ?  " 

"  Twenty  francs,  monsieur." 

"  Twenty  francs !  here's  your  money !  a  mere  bagatelle ! 
— I  am  not  sorry  to  have  christened  my  switch,"  he  added, 
as  he  walked  away. 


THE  FAREWELLS  223 


XXXII 

THE  FAREWELLS 

When  he  learned  that  his  nephew  wished  to  leave  Paris 
again,  Monsieur  Grandcourt  did  not  conceal  the  regret 
which  he  felt  at  the  thought  of  another  separation ;  but 
when  he  realized  that  Gustave  still  loved  Madame  Mon- 
leard,  he  placed  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  his  departure, 
and  it  was  decided  that  the  young  man  should  go  to 
Germany. 

"During  your  absence,"  said  the  banker,  "an  individual 
came  here  to  inquire  for  you — I  say  an  individual,  for  I 
don't  know  how  else  to  describe  the  man,  whose  whole 
aspect  was  more  than  questionable.  His  name,  I  be- 
lieve, is  Arthur  Cherami,  and  he  claims  to  be  an  intimate 
friend  of  yours,  because  you  paid  for  his  dinner  the  day 
Mademoiselle  Fanny  was  married." 

"  Ah !  yes,  I  know  whom  you  mean,  uncle ;  I  have 
seen  him ;  I  met  him  a  couple  of  days  ago." 

"  I  trust,  my  dear  Gustave,  that  you  will  not  affect  that 
gentleman's  society.  You  don't  know,  perhaps,  what  he 
did  ?  He  fought  a  duel  with  Monsieur  Monleard,  after 
making  an  insulting  remark  to  his  wife." 

"  I  know  it,  uncle.  But,  in  the  first  place,  that  day,  or 
rather  that  night,  the  poor  devil  was  a  little  tipsy — he 
lost  his  head — he  thought  he  was  avenging  me ;  after  all, 
it  only  goes  to  prove  that  he's  a  brave  fellow." 

"  My  dear  boy,  the  gentry  who  stop  public  convey- 
ances on  the  highroad  are  generally  brave  fellows,  too, 
but  that  doesn't  prevent  their  being  brigands." 


224  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"Oh!  uncle,  do  you  mean  that  you  think  that  that 
poor  Arthur " 

"  I  don't  say  that  he's  a  thief;  but  I  don't  advise  you 
to  make  a  companion  of  him." 

"  He's  no  fool ;  he  has  had  a  good  education,  and  he 
knows  the  world." 

"  He  is  all  the  more  reprehensible  for  having  allowed 
himself  to  sink  so  low!  For  he  seems  to  me  to  be 
always  in  search  of  a  dinner.  However,  as  you  are 
going  away  again  for  some  time,  I  trust  that  your  rela- 
tions with  the  fellow  will  be  entirely  broken  off." 

Gustave  hastened  the  preparations  for  his  journey;  but, 
being  obliged  to  wait  for  certain  letters  which  his  uncle 
desired  to  give  him  for  his  correspondents,  he  was  not 
ready  to  leave  Paris  until  the  following  Thursday  evening. 
He  desired  to  see  Adolphine  once  more  before  he  went ; 
she  had  always  been  so  kind  and  affectionate  to  him,  that 
it  seemed  to  him  that  it  would  be  ungracious  to  leave 
Paris  again  without  bidding  her  adieu.  But  the  fear  of 
another  meeting  with  Fanny  held  him  back.  He  suddenly 
remembered,  however,  that  that  was  the  day  of  the  grand 
affair  to  which  Madame  Monleard  had  invited  him. 

"  Surely,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  Fanny  has  too  much  to 
do  at  home  to-day,  to  find  time  to  go  to  her  sister's.  So 
that  I  can  call  on  Adolphine  with  no  fear  of  meeting  her 
whose  presence  causes  me  more  pain  than  pleasure  now." 

Adolphine  was  at  home,  engaged  in  preparations  for 
the  ball ;  for  although  she  anticipated  no  pleasure  at  her 
sister's  magnificent  function,  she  could  not  do  otherwise 
than  go.  She  was  looking  with  an  indifferent  air  at  a 
lovely  ball  gown  which  her  father  had  given  her,  and 
which  would  have  delighted  most  young  women  of  her 
age  beyond  measure. 


THE  FAREWELLS  225 

"  But,"  thought  Adolphine,  'iwhat  do  I  care  whether 
people  think  me  pretty?  There  will  be  nobody  at  the 
ball  whom  I  care  to  please.  Ah !  if  he  were  going  !  But 
he  was  wise  to  refuse ;  he  could  not,  ought  not  to  go." 

Madeleine  noiselessly  opened  the  door,  and  said  : 

"  Mamzelle,  here's  the  young  man  who  came  the  other 
day — the  one  who's  so  good-looking,  and  seems  so  sad- 
like." 

"  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that  Monsieur  Gustave,  who  was  so  scared  by 
your  sister  the  other  time,  that  he  went  right  away." 

"  Mon  Dieu  !     Is  father  at  home  ?  " 

"  Yes,  mamzelle ;  but  he's  in  his  room  with  Monsieur 
Batonnin,  who  came  just  a  minute  ago.  They'll  probably 
have  a  lot  to  talk  about,  and  you  know  your  father  hardly 
ever  comes  into  your  room.  And,  to-day,  he  knows  that 
you're  getting  your  dress  ready." 

"  Show  Gustave  in,  quickly." 

Trimmings,  flowers,  ribbons,  all  were  thrown  aside ; 
Adolphine  was  so  happy  at  the  thought  of  seeing  Gus- 
tave. In  a  moment,  he  entered  the  room,  ran  to  her  side, 
and  pressed  her  hand  affectionately. 

"Will  you  forgive  me  for  disturbing  you  again,  dear 
Adolphine  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Will  I  forgive  you  !  Why,  I  am  very  glad  to  see 
you ;  for,  when  you  went  away  the  other  day,  you  said 
that  you  wouldn't  come  again,  and  that  grieved  me 
much." 

"  That  was  because  I  was  so  unprepared  to  meet  your 
sister.  I  didn't  expect  to  see  her,  and  I  confess  that  it 
affected  me  so  deeply  that  it  revived  all  my  suffering." 

"  Oh !  I  saw  that ;  but  it  was  by  the  merest  chance  that 
you  met  her ;  she  comes  here  very  seldom." 


226  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

"  No  matter;  I  would  not  have  run  the  risk  of  a  second 
meeting;  but  I  remembered  that  this  is  the  day  of  her 
grand  ball,  and  I  thought  that  she  would  have  no  leisure 
to  come  here  this  morning." 

"  But  I  should  have  said  that  Fanny  was  glad  to  see 
you." 

"  Oh  !  that  makes  no  difference,  my  good  little  sister ; 
her  glances,  her  voice,  her  smile,  all  made  my  heart  ache  ! 
You  can't  imagine  what  agony  it  is  to  be  with  a  person 
you  love,  and  who  doesn't  love  you !  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  understand." 

"Especially  when  you  have  imagined  for  some  time 
that  you  possessed  that  person's  heart ;  when  you  have 
flattered  yourself  with  the  prospect  of  passing  your  life 
with  her !  To  see  that  woman  again,  when  she  belongs 
to  another,  is  the  most  frightful  torture.  Fanny  smiled 
at  me,  she  asked  me  to  call  on  her.  But  I  would 
have  preferred  a  cold,  harsh  greeting  a  hundred  times 
over ;  I  would  have  liked  her  to  avoid  my  presence  as  I 
meant  to  avoid  hers ;  for  then  I  would  have  thought : 
'  I  am  not  utterly  indifferent  to  her.' — However,  that  won't 
happen  again,  for  I  am  going  away,  and  I  have  come  to 
say  good-bye." 

"  You  are  going  away  again !  Mon  Dieu  !  you  have 
only  just  returned !  " 

"Ah  !  I  should  have  done  better  not  to  return  so  soon. 
Living  in  Paris  weighs  on  me,  it  recalls  the  past  too 
vividly." 

"And  where  are  you  going  now  ?  " 

"  To  Germany,  Austria — as  far  away  as  possible !  " 

"  For  a  long  time  ?  " 

"  Oh !  yes,  for  I  don't  propose  to  return  until  I  am 
thoroughly  cured  of  my  unhappy  passion." 


THE  FAREWELLS  227 

Adolphine  put  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes. 

"  But  it's  not  our  fault,"  she  stammered, — "  if  my  sister 
doesn't  love  you — and  yet,  because  she  doesn't,  we — 
must  lose  a  friend." 

"  Dear  Adolphine,  such  woe-begone  friends  as  I  am  are 
hardly  worth  regretting." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?     But  suppose  I  like  them  so  ?  " 

"When  I  return,  I  shall  probably  find  you  married, 
too." 

"  No,  no !     I  shall  not  be  married,  I — I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  What  do  you  know  about  it  ?  There  are  certain  to 
be  plenty  of  aspirants  to  your  hand." 

"  I  refused  two,  not  long  ago.  They  were  both  rich, 
but  I  am  not  like  my  sister;  I  want  to  love  my  husband ! " 

"  Do  you  think,  pray,  that  Fanny  doesn't  love  hers  ?  " 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  I  know  nothing  about  it.  I  don't  know 
what  I  am  saying ;  I  am  so  disappointed !  " 

At  that  moment,  the  door  opened.  Monsieur  Gerbault 
appeared,  with  Monsieur  Batonnin,  who  entered  first. 

"  Pray  excuse  me,  mademoiselle,"  he  began  ;  "  I  come 
to  engage  you  for  the  first  contra-dance  that " 

The  soft-spoken  gentleman  stopped  abruptly,  seeing  a 
young  man  seated  beside  Adolphine ;  he  rolled  his  eyes 
in  the  direction  of  the  father,  adding : 

"  Ah  !  mademoiselle  has  a  visitor ;  we  disturb  her." 

Monsieur  Gerbault  was  no  less  surprised  than  he  at 
finding  a  man  in  his  daughter's  room,  and  her  with  her 
eyes  full  of  tears.  But  he  soon  recognized  Gustave,  who 
bowed  respectfully  to  him  and  said : 

"  Forgive  me,  monsieur,  for  presuming  to  call  upon 
your  daughter ;  but  I  came  to  bid  her  good-bye,  and  I 
hoped  to  have  the  honor  of  paying  my  respects  to  you 
as  well  before  leaving  the  house." 


228  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"Ah !  is  it  you,  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  I  thought  that 
you  were  in  Spain  ?  " 

•"  I  returned  a  week  ago,  monsieur;  and  to-night  I  start 
for  Germany." 

"Why,  what's  the  matter,  Adolphine?  you  look  as 
if  you  had  been  crying.  But  I  cannot  conceive  what 
reason  you  can  have  to  be  unhappy." 

Monsieur  Batonnin  thought  it  advisable  to  intervene. 

"  It  always  saddens  one  to  say  good-bye  to  one's 
friends,"  he  murmured.  "  Life  is  so  short !  When  we 
part,  we  are  never  sure  of  meeting  again." 

"  What  do  you  say,  monsieur  ?  "  cried  Adolphine,  with 
a  pathetic  glance  at  Gustave. 

"  I  had  no  purpose  to  grieve  you,  mademoiselle,  believe 
me,"  Batonnin  made  haste  to  reply ;  "  on  the  contrary,  I 
came  to  solicit  the  honor  of  dancing  the  first  contra- 
dance  with  you ;  for  you  surely  have  not  forgotten  that 
madame  your  sister  gives  a  ball  this  evening  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur." 

"  I  realize,"  said  Gustave,  "  that  I  came  at  a  very  inop- 
portune moment,  and  interrupted  mademoiselle  in  her 
preparations  for  that  festivity,  diverting  her  thoughts  to 
a  poor  traveller  who  desired  to  carry  away  with  him  a 
friendly  word  or  two.  Pray  forgive  my  intrusion,  made- 
moiselle. I  am  an  unlucky  mortal,  for  my  sadness  con- 
stantly casts  a  shadow  on  the  happiness  of  other  people. 
But  I  am  sure  that  you  will  forgive  me,  in  memory  of 
our  former  friendship. — Monsieur  Gerbault,  will  you  allow 
me  to  shake  hands  with  you  ?  " 

The  melancholy  and  at  the  same  time  dignified  manner 
in  which  Gustave  spoke  banished  the  last  trace  of  stern- 
ness from  Monsieur  Gerbault's  face ;  he  took  the  young 
man's  hand  and  pressed  it  warmly,  saying  to  him : 


THE  FAREWELLS  229 

"  Come,  come,  my  friend,  drive  away  the  gloomy 
thoughts  that  assail  you.  At  your  age,  the  future  is 
boundless.  Don't  submit  to  be  crushed  by  fruitless 
regrets ;  you  may  still  be  happy,  and  you  will  be  some 
day,  I  am  sure.  A  pleasant  journey  to  you  !  Study  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  countries  you  visit,  and  I 
am  convinced  that  you  will  return  in  an  infinitely  more 
cheerful  frame  of  mind." 

"  Thanks  for  your  kind  wishes,  monsieur ;  allow  me  to 
bid  you  adieu." 

Gustave  pressed  Adolphine's  hand,  bowed  to  the  vis- 
itor, whom  he  did  not  know,  and  left  the  room.  While 
the  young  woman  escorted  him  to  the  door,  Monsieur 
Batonnin  observed  to  Monsieur  Gerbault : 

"  That  young  man  is  in  love  with  Mademoiselle  Adol- 
phine,  I  see,  and  you  have  refused  him  her  hand.  Doubt- 
less he  isn't  a  suitable  match  for  her ;  but  still  it  is  very 
good-natured  of  you  to  give  him  encouragement  for  the 
future." 

"  My  dear  Monsieur  Batonnin,  you  are  all  off  the  track. 
It  was  not  Adolphine,  but  her  sister  Fanny,  with  whom 
Gustave  was  in  love,  and  he  flattered  himself  that  he  was 
going  to  marry  her,  when  Auguste  Monleard  came  for- 
ward. Faith !  he  had  better  luck.  He  offered  her  a 
position  which  any  young  woman  would  have  liked,  and 
she  accepted  him.  It  was  a  very  hard  blow  to  this  young 
Gustave." 

"  I  understand.  Then  it  was  he  who  fought  a  duel 
with  your  son-in-law,  and  gave  him  the  wound  which 
made  him  carry  his  arm  in  a  sling  so  long  ?  " 

"  You  are  wrong  again.  It  was  not  Gustave  who 
fought  with  Monsieur  Monleard,  for  Gustave  was  a  long 
way  from  Paris  when  the  duel  took  place." 


23o  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

"  Whom  did  your  son-in-law  fight  with,  then  ?  " 

"  Faith !  you  ask  me  too  much ! " 

Adolphine's  return  put  an  end  to  Monsieur  Batonnin's 
questions.  "  Mademoiselle,"  he  said,  in  his  most  silvery 
tones,  "  I  beg  your  pardon  if  I  repeat  the  same  thing 
again  and  again,  like  a  parrot,  but  I  should  be  glad  to 
know  if  I  may  obtain  from  you  the  favor  of  the  first 
contra-dance.  I  present  my  request  thus  early,  because 
I  am  sure  that  you  will  be  beset,  overwhelmed  with 
invitations  this  evening,  and  it  will  be  very  difficult  to 
obtain  a  word  with  you." 

Adolphine  seemed  to  make  an  effort  to  throw  off  her 
preoccupation,  and  replied : 

"But  I  am  not  sure  yet,  monsieur,  whether  I  shall 
dance  at  my  sister's  this  evening,  for  I  have  a  very  severe 
headache,  and,  unless  it  gets  better,  I  shall  cut  a  very 
sad  figure  in  a  dance." 

"  Don't  pay  any  attention  to  her,"  said  Monsieur  Ger- 
bault.  "  These  girls  are  forever  having  headaches,  which 
take  them  all  of  a  sudden  when  they  have  the  least 
thought  of  such  a  thing ;  but,  have  no  fear,  there  never 
was  a  headache  that  didn't  surrender  at  the  signal  given 
by  the  orchestra  at  a  ball.  So,  as  you've  delivered  your 
invitation,  you  are  certain  of  being  her  first  partner. 
And  now,  let  us  leave  mademoiselle  to  her  preparations. 
Come,  my  dear  Monsieur  Batonnin." 

The  soft-spoken  gentleman  bestowed  a  superb  smile 
upon  Adolphine,  accompanied  by  a  respectful  bow. 

"  Mademoiselle,"  he  said,  "  I  rest  my  hopes  upon  what 
your  father  says,  too  fortunate  if  you  crown  my  desires ; 
and  if  my  invitation,  albeit  a  little  premature  perhaps,  and 
rather  unseasonable " 

"  Come,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  come." 


A    GRAND  AFFAIR  231 

The  maker  of  compliments,  being  led  away  by  Mon- 
sieur Gerbault,  was  compelled  to  complete  his  sentence 
in  the  reception-room ;  and  Adolphine,  left  alone  at  last, 
cursed  Monsieur  Batonnin  for  coming,  with  his  invitation, 
to  interrupt  her  interview  with  Gustave. 

"  A  ball,  indeed  !  "  she  murmured,  angrily  tossing  her 
furbelows  about ;  "  I  must  needs  dance  this  evening, 
when  my  heart  is  full,  when  I  would  like  to  weep  undis- 
turbed !  Ah !  if  these  are  the  pleasures  which  society  has 
to  offer,  they  who  are  debarred  from  them  are  the  most 
fortunate ! " 


XXXIII 

A  GRAND  AFFAIR 

At  ten  o'clock,  Monsieur  Monleard's  magnificent  salons 
were  resplendent  with  light,  flowers,  and  new  draperies,  ar- 
ranged with  an  artistic  skill  which  did  honor  to  the  taste 
of  the  organizer  of  the  festivity.  At  eleven,  the  guests 
arrived  in  swarms.  The  ladies  were  superbly  dressed, 
and  the  flashing  of  their  diamonds  dazzled  the  eye ;  some 
— but  by  no  means  the  larger  number — were  more  simply 
attired,  and  were  content  to  attract  by  the  charms  of  their 
persons  alone.  The  men  admired  the  beautiful  dresses, 
but  preferred  to  linger  by  those  whose  attractions  de- 
pended less  upon  their  costumes.  A  fine  orchestra  played 
quadrilles,  polkas,  mazurkas.  Its  strains  seemed  to  en- 
liven the  faces  of  the  guests,  which  fairly  beamed  with 
pleasure — the  pleasure  which  they  already  enjoyed,  and 
that  to  which  they  looked  forward :  the  latter  is  always 
the  more  agreeable. 


232  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

At  midnight,  the  number  of  guests  was  already  so 
great  that  it  was  becoming  very  difficult  to  pass  from 
one  room  into  another.  To  do  so  required  an  amount 
of  persevering  effort  which  many  of  the  ladies  did  not 
choose  to  put  forth,  and  which,  indeed,  the  enormous 
dimensions  of  their  skirts  made  almost  impossible. 

The  ball  was  at  its  height.  The  queen  of  the  fete  did 
the  honors  with  much  grace,  and  everybody  agreed  in 
voting  her  charming.  Fanny  was,  in  very  truth,  most 
bewitchingly  and  becomingly  dressed ;  her  white  moire 
gown,  albeit  not  overladen  with  trimming,  was  studded 
with  bunches  of  real  flowers,  and  in  her  hair  there  were 
no  jewels  save  a  cluster  of  diamonds ;  but  the  satisfac- 
tion which  her  vanity  experienced  in  the  giving  of  such 
a  fete  imparted  to  her  eyes  an  unusual  brilliancy,  to  her 
smile  more  expression,  to  her  voice  more  feeling.  She 
was  surrounded  by  men  who  contended  for  the  honor 
of  dancing  a  polka  or  a  quadrille  with  her,  and  everyone 
envied  the  lucky  mortal  who  was  her  partner  for  the  time 
being,  especially  as  she  was  a  beautiful  dancer ;  she  was 
as  light  as  a  feather,  and  her  feet  seemed  hardly  to  touch 
the  floor. 

Auguste  Monleard  was  very  far  from  displaying  the 
same  glee  and  satisfaction  which  were  so  apparent  on  his 
wife's  features ;  he  did  the  honors  of  his  salons  with  the 
exquisite  courtesy  and  refinement  of  a  man  in  the  best 
society,  who  is  accustomed  to  party-giving;  but  there 
was  in  his  smile  a  something  forced  and  constrained, 
which  was  better  adapted  to  freeze  than  to  provoke 
gayety ;  at  times,  too,  a  dark  cloud  passed  over  his  fore- 
head, his  eyebrows  contracted,  his  lips  tightened,  and  he 
seemed  utterly  oblivious  to  what  was  being  said  to  him. 
But  these  periods  of  distraction  lasted  but  a  moment. 


A    GRAND  AFFAIR 


233 


Auguste  would  suddenly  come  to  himself  and  struggle 
to  assume  a  cheerful  aspect 

Adolphine,  who  came  early  with  her  father,  did  not 
dazzle  the  beholder  by  the  splendor  of  her  costume ; 
but  she  was  charming  by  virtue  of  her  natural  grace  of 
manner,  her  perfect  figure,  the  sweet  expression  of  her 
lovely  eyes,  and  perhaps,  too,  by  virtue  of  a  touch  of 
melancholy,  which  she  strove  to  overcome,  but  which 
added  to  the  charm  of  her  face. 

Monsieur  Batonnin  did  not  fail  to  be  on  hand  when  the 
leader  of  the  orchestra  gave  the  signal  for  the  dancing  to 
begin,  and  the  girl  had  no  choice  but  to  accept  him  for 
her  partner ;  indeed,  it  mattered  little  to  her  with  whom 
she  danced ;  what  she  would  have  liked  would  have  been 
not  to  dance  at  all ;  but,  as  she  was  the  hostess's  sister, 
that  was  impossible ;  too  many  people  would  have  in- 
quired the  reason  for  her  abstinence,  and  it  would  have 
worried  her  father  and  annoyed  her  sister.  On  the  con- 
trary, she  felt  that  she  must  act  as  if  she  were  enjoying 
herself  hugely,  and  that  was  very  difficult;  we  can  do 
many  things  to  oblige  another,  but  the  eyes  never  have 
complaisance  enough  to  hide  thoroughly  our  real  feelings. 

While  dancing  with  Adolphine,  Monsieur  Batonnin  did 
not  fail  to  overwhelm  her  with  compliments,  scattered 
among  his  remarks  upon  the  party. 

"  It's  magnificent !  it's  enchanting !  it's  delightful !  How 
elegantly  these  salons  are  decorated !  and  with  such 
taste !  Flowers  everywhere — to  say  nothing  of  those 
who  are  dancing;  for  women  and  flowers,  you  know, 
are  very  much  alike.  Others  have  said  that  before  me, 
to  be  sure ;  but  there  are  things  that  can't  be  repeated  too 
often.  It  must  have  cost  a  lot — to  give  a  party  like  this  ! 
but  then,  when  one  has  the  means !  Monsieur  Monleard 


234 


MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 


doesn't  look  as  cheerful  as  his  wife  does ;  he  doesn't  seem 
to  be  dancing.  Still,  a  host  can't  dance  all  the  time.  I 
don't  suppose  he's  sick,  although  he  is  very  pale;  but 
he's  almost  always  pale." 

To  all  this  Adolphine  replied  only  by  monosyllables, 
and  the  gentleman  with  the  doll's  face  said  to  himself 
after  the  quadrille : 

"That  young  lady  is  just  about  as  cheerful  as  her 
brother-in-law ;  it's  of  no  use  for  Papa  Gerbault  to  tell  me 
that  that  young  man  I  saw  there  this  morning  was  in  love 
with  her  sister;  that  wouldn't  make  this  one  cry.  There's 
something  else — yes,  there  certainly  is  something  else." 

In  a  salon  set  aside  for  card  players,  Messieurs  Clairval 
and  Gerbault  and  young  Anatole  de  Raincy  met. 

"  How's  this  ?  you  are  not  dancing  ?  "  they  said  to  the 
last  named. 

"Oh!  dear  me,  no!  I  wath  never  mad  over  danthing," 
replied  the  young  dandy,  looking  at  himself  in  a  mirror ; 
"  and  there'th  thuch  a  crowd !  How  can  one  expect  to 
do  anything  ?  When  I  danth,  I  like  to  let  mythelf  go." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  dance  the  cancan,  De  Raincy?  " 
queried  a  young  man  with  a  jovial  face,  putting  his  hand 
on  Anatole's  shoulder. 

"  How  thtupid  you  are,  Vauflers !  Jutht  becauth  I  like 
to  put  a  little  grath  into  my  danthing,  it  dothn't  follow 
that  I  danth  the  cancan." 

"  Well,  you  see,  I  don't  dance  half  lying  down,  as 
you  do." 

"  In  the  firtht  plath,  I  thtoop,  not  lie  down — a  very  dif- 
ferent thing.  You  ought  to  know  that,  to  danth  properly, 
you  mutht  thtoop  a  little.  I  learned  that  from  a  great 
danther." 

"  From  Vestris  ?  " 


A    GRAND  AFFAIR  235 

"  You  tire  me !  Ever  thinth  thith  fellow  hath  been 
eighth  clerk  to  a  broker,  he  maketh  fun  of  everybody." 

"What  news  from  the  Bourse  to-night?"  said  Mon- 
leard, accosting  the  young  man  whom  Anatole  had  called 
Vauflers. 

"  You  know  that  several  firms  were  sold  out  this  morn- 
ing. I  believe  that  we  haven't  seen  the  end  yet.  There's 
need  of  a  thorough  weeding-out.  There  are  some  fellows 
who  have  been  playing  too  high  for  a  long  time." 

Auguste  pressed  his  lips  together  and  walked  away. 

"  Shan't  we  have  a  game  of  bouillotte  ? "  said  the 
young  man. 

"Bouillotte  ith  bad  form  jutht  now,  my  dear  fellow; 
nobody  playth  it,"  replied  tall  Anatole,  gazing  admiringly 
at  his  gloves. 

"  Bezique's  the  proper  thing,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  No,  lanthquenet  thtill." 

"  Ah,  yes !  because  you  can  ruin  yourself  faster  at  that. 
Thanks !  I  think  I'll  go  and  dance.  I  asked  the  hostess 
for  a  dance,  and  she  put  my  name  down;  but  I  was 
twenty-first  on  the  list." 

"  In  that  cath,  your  turn  will  come  by  to-morrow  night." 

"  Oh !  Madame  Monleard  will  make  an  exception  in 
my  favor." 

"  Why  tho,  pray  ?  " 

"  Because  I  am  her  broker." 

"  Oho  !  do  you  mean  that  Madame  Monleard  gambleth 
on  the  Bourth  ?  " 

"Why,  yes — moderately;  but  she's  luckier  than  her 
husband." 

"  Tho  he  hath  been  lothing,  hath  he  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  so ! — immense  sums,  of  late.  Indeed, 
I  will  admit  that  I  was  much  surprised  at  his  giving  a 


236  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

party — although,  to  be  sure,  that  is  sometimes  an  excel- 
lent way  of  deceiving  people  as  to  one's  position  and 
retaining  one's  credit." 

"  The  deuth !  what  are  you  talking  about  ?  " 

"At  this  moment,  I  have  an  idea  that  he  is  staking 
all  to  win  all,  as  they  say,  on  a  certain  deal ;  but  if  he 
loses " 

"  Look  out !  here  comth  hith  father-in-law.  Come  thith 
way." 

The  two  young  men,  arm  in  arm,  walked  into  another 
room. 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  how  beautifully  your  wife  dances ! "  said 
Batonnin  to  Monleard,  as  Fanny  whirled  by  them,  dancing 
the  mazurka  with  a  partner  who  guided  her  perfectly  and 
executed  some  novel  steps. 

"  What !  did  you  say  that  it's  too  warm  here  ?  " 

"  No,  I  never  complain  of  the  heat ;  I'm  a  genuine 
African  in  that  respect.  I  was  admiring  Madame  Mon- 
leard's  dancing — she's  dancing  the  mazurka  at  this  mo- 
ment ;  there  they  go  again !  I  must  say  that  she  has  a 
partner  who  does  himself  credit,  too ;  he  holds  her  so 
firmly,  and  she  trusts  herself  to  his  guidance  with  such 
abandon  !  a  very  pretty  fellow  that !  What  is  his  name  ? 
By  the  way — what !  he  has  gone,  and  without  answering 
my  question !  Hum !  They  may  say  what  they  choose, 
but  Monsieur  Monleard  isn't  in  his  usual  form  to-night ; 
he's  too  preoccupied,  too  distraught.  It's  a  good  thing 
that  that  doesn't  keep  his  wife  from  dancing." 

About  two  o'clock,  the  ladies  were  invited  to  repair  to 
a  table  laden  with  a  magnificent  supper ;  as  the  company 
was  so  large  that  all  could  not  sup  at  once,  the  ladies 
took  their  turn  first,  and  the  men  waited  until  they  had 
finished,  except  a  few  impatient  individuals,  such  as  one 


A    GRAND  AFFAIR  237 

sees  at  almost  all  balls,  who  found  a  way  to  squeeze  in 
at  the  table  with  the  ladies,  where,  on  the  pretext  of 
waiting  on  them,  they  did  not  fail  to  help  themselves 
abundantly  to  everything  that  was  most  delicate  and  ap- 
petizing. Indeed,  it  not  infrequently  happens  that,  after 
they  have  laid  hands  upon  everything  within  reach,  and 
eaten  uninterruptedly,  while  most  of  the  ladies  have  done 
nothing  but  talk,  these  same  gallant  creatures  return  to 
the  supper  table  with  the  men,  and  fall  to  anew,  as  if  they 
had  eaten  nothing.  There  are  some  worthies  capable  of 
that ;  we  ourselves  have  seen  it  done. 

Monsieur  Batonnin  tried  to  find  a  seat  at  the  ladies' 
table,  but,  despite  his  everlasting  smile,  no  one  would 
make  room  for  him.  So  he  decided  to  remain  standing, 
and  naturally  stationed  himself  behind  Adolphine,  whom 
he  pestered  with  attentions ;  for  Adolphine  had  no  appe- 
tite, and  refused  almost  everything  which  he  ordered  for 
her,  and  which  he  did  not  fail  to  obtain  at  once  by  saying : 

"It's  for  the  sister  of  Madame  Monleard,  the  queen 
of  the  fete." 

With  these  magic  words,  Batonnin  was  quite  sure  to 
obtain  all  that  he  could  possibly  want ;  but  if  his  courtesy 
was  absolutely  wasted,  it  was  not  so  with  the  dishes  which 
were  refused ;  for  when  Adolphine  said  :  "  Thanks,  mon- 
sieur ;  but  I  will  not  eat  anything,"  the  soft-spoken  gen- 
tleman invariably  adjudged  what  happened  to  be  on  the 
plate  to  himself,  saying : 

"Well,  since  you  don't  care  for  it,  faith!  I'll  eat  it 
myself." 

And,  thanks  to  this  clever  management,  he  supped 
quite  as  well  as,  perhaps  better  than,  if  he  had  had 
a  seat  among  the  ladies.  To  be  sure,  he  had  to  eat 
standing. 


238  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

When  the  ladies  had  left  the  table,  and  the  men  came 
to  take  their  places,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  whether  by  acci- 
dent or  from  absent-mindedness,  imitating  the  worthies 
of  whom  we  spoke  a  moment  ago,  found  himself  seated 
beside  Monsieur  Clairval. 

"  What !  eating  another  supper  ?  "  queried  the  latter. 

"  Why  another  ?     I  haven't  supped  yet." 

"  But,  unless  I  am  very  much  mistaken,  when  I  looked 
in  just  now  to  admire  the  charming  picture  presented  by 
all  the  ladies  seated  at  the  table,  you  were  behind  Made- 
moiselle Adolphine,  with  a  plate  in  your  hand,  and  eating 
what  was  on  the  plate." 

"That  is  to  say,  I  was  standing  behind  Mademoiselle 
Adolphine  to  wait  upon  her,  and  I  passed  her  whatever 
she  wanted." 

"  I  saw  that  you  were  eating  all  the  time." 

"  Tasting,  perhaps,  but  if  you  call  that  eating !  And 
then,  I  was  standing  up.  What  one  eats  standing  never 
counts." 

"Well,  my  dear  Monsieur  Batonnin,  I  don't  under- 
take to  reprove  you  for  it;  on  the  contrary,  you  de- 
serve to  be  congratulated. — Honor  to  great  talents  of 
all  varieties!  A  good  stomach  is  a  blessing  of  Provi- 
dence. The  wealthiest  of  men,  if  his  liver  doesn't  work 
right,  is,  to  my  mind,  less  to  be  envied  than  the  poor 
man  who  can  readily  digest  his  bacon-rind  and  similar 
delicacies." 

Auguste  Monleard  joined  his  male  guests  at  supper, 
to  do  the  honors  of  his  table;  he  began  by  pouring  down 
several  glasses  of  champagne ;  then,  like  one  who  is  de- 
termined to  divert  his  thoughts  at  any  cost,  he  drank 
glass  after  glass  of  different  kinds  of  wine,  in  rapid  suc- 
cession. This  manoeuvre  succeeded ;  in  a  quarter  of  an 


A    GRAND  AFFAIR  239 

hour  his  brow  had  cleared,  his  eyes  sparkled ;  he  talked 
with  all  his  guests,  and  challenged  them  to  drink  with 
him ;  in  fact,  he  was  almost  gay,  and  he  laughed — a  laugh 
that  was  a  little  nervous,  a  little  forced,  perhaps,  but 
which  produced  a  most  excellent  effect  toward  the  end 
of  the  supper.  When  the  gentlemen  finally  left  the  table, 
at  which  they  had  made  quite  an  extended  sojourn,  they 
did  not  fail  to  call  for  a  cotillon,  the  dance  which  has 
become  almost  the  obligatory  conclusion  of  a  ball ;  and 
Auguste  Monleard  proposed  to  lead  it 

The  suggestion  was  received  with  delight  by  the  dan- 
cing contingent.  Adolphine,  greatly  surprised  by  the 
animation  now  exhibited  by  her  brother-in-law,  mentioned 
it  to  her  sister. 

"  Your  husband  seems  to  be  in  high  spirits  now,"  she 
said ;  "  and  I  am  very  glad  to  see  him  so." 

"  Why !  did  you  think  that  he  wasn't  in  good  spirits 
before?"  rejoined  Fanny.  "You  are  wrong,  my  dear 
girl !  Auguste  always  enjoys  himself — only,  he  doesn't 
look  as  if  he  did ;  that's  his  way." 

The  cotillon  came  to  an  end,  and  the  tired  dancers 
began  at  last  to  think  of  retiring.  Batonnin,  having 
supped  satisfactorily  twice  over,  left  the  house  with 
Anatole  de  Raincy,  humming: 

'"La  belle  nuit !  la  belle  ffite  ! '" 

"  I  know  that !  it  ith  from  a  comic  opera,"  said  the  tall 
young  man. 

"  True ;  but  you  must  agree  that  it's  apropos  :  la  belle 
fete!" 

"Yeth,  but  I'm  afraid — according  to  what  Vauflers 
thaid " 

"What  did  he  say?" 


240  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

"  That  Augutht  Monleard  had  lotht  enormouth  thumth 
on  the  Bourth  of  late,  and  that  he  mutht  be  in  a  very 
bad  way." 

"Ah  !  the  devil !  that's  why  I  found  him  so  distraught, 
then.  At  supper,  he  drank  a  lot  to  forget  himself,  I 
noticed  that." 

"After  all,  he  may  pull  up  again — luck  may  turn. 
Ah!  I  thee  a  cab.  Monthieur,  I  with  you  good-night,  or 
rather  good-day,  for  here'th  the  light." 

"  Your  servant,  monsieur." 

Batonnin  returned  to  his  lodgings  alone  and  on  foot, 
saying  to  himself: 

"  Well,  whether  Monleard  is  ruined  or  not,  I  had  two 
suppers,  all  the  same !  " 

Our  friends  and  acquaintances  almost  always  welcome 
our  misfortunes  in  such  wise. 


XXXIV 

AUNT   DUPONCEAU 

Cherami,  in  accordance  with  his  usual  custom,  spent 
very  freely  the  money  Gustave  had  given  him ;  he  still 
possessed  a  few  francs  out  of  the  five  hundred,  however ; 
and  his  appearance  was  very  decent,  too,  for  he  had  pre- 
sented himself  with  a  new  hat,  and  he  still  had  his  new 
switch.  One  cold  but  beautiful  morning,  about  ten 
o'clock,  as  he  strolled  in  the  direction  of  the  Madeleine, 
to  give  himself  an  appetite,  the  ci-devant  Beau  Arthur 
saw  coming  toward  him  a  woman  of  enormous  size, 
holding  by  each  hand  a  small  boy,  one  of  whom  wore 


AUNT  DUPONCEAU  241 

a  hat  surrounded  by  feathers,  which  gave  him  the  look 
of  a  trained  monkey.  The  children,  as  well  as  their 
mother,  were  so  enveloped  and  swaddled  in  winter  gar- 
ments that  they  had  not  the  free  use  of  their  limbs. 
These  three  living  bundles  rolled  along  the  street,  lurch- 
ing against  one  another ;  but  when  they  came  face  to 
face  with  our  stroller,  they  halted,  and  the  stout  woman 
exclaimed : 

"  I  cannot  be  mistaken ;  it  is  certainly  Monsieur  Cher- 
ami,  out  walking  so  early !  " 

Cherami  had  already  recognized  Madame  Capucine 
and  her  sons,  and,  being  by  no  means  overjoyed  at  the 
meeting,  would  gladly  have  turned  back  to  avoid  it,  but 
it  was  too  late ;  so  he  courageously  made  the  best  of  it, 
and  replied,  with  a  courteous  salutation : 

"  Myself,  fair  lady ;  and  I  congratulate  myself  on  the 
good-fortune  which  I  owe  to  chance ;  for  you  are  far  from 
home.  Do  you  happen  to  be  going  to  Romainville  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur,  no ;  we  are  not  going  to  Romainville  ; 
this  isn't  the  way  there,  either,"  replied  Madame  Capu- 
cine, eying  her  interlocutor  from  head  to  foot ;  and  the 
great  change  which  had  taken  place  in  the  apparel  of  her 
debtor  was  naturally  reflected  in  her  manner  of  speaking 
to  him.  As  the  change  was  altogether  to  his  advantage, 
she  smiled  graciously,  and  continued : 

"Aunt  Duponceau  don't  live  at  Romainville  any  more ; 
she  has  sold  the  house  she  used  to  own  there." 

"  Indeed  ?  why  did  she  do  that  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  because — because  that  neighborhood  has  such 
a  reputation.  You  know  the  ballad :  That  lovely  wood, 
to  lovers " 

"Presents  a  thousand  charms! — Yes,  I  know  it  by 
heart.  But  there's  no  wood  left,  except  a  little  bit  which 


242  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

has  been  bought  by  a  novelist  of  whom  I  am  very  fond, 
and  all  surrounded  by  walls — not  the  novelist,  but  his 
woods ;  so  I  don't  see  what  could  have  frightened  your 
Aunt  Duponceau  so." 

"  Mon  Dieu !  you  know  how  ill-natured  people  can  be  ! 
There  was  always  somebody  to  say :  '  Ah !  so  you  live 
at  Romainville ;  that's  the  place  for  grisettes,  gin-shops, 
and  low  dance-halls  !  one  always  meets  a  lot  of  drunken 
people  there.'  " 

"  I  should  say  that  you  find  them  everywhere." 

"  It  isn't  the  fashionable  drive  nowadays." 

"The  most  fashionable  resort  isn't  always  the  most 
amusing." 

"  You  don't  see  the  latest  styles  there." 

"  Oh,  well !  if  you  go  into  the  country  to  see  the 
styles,  you  would  do  better  never  to  go  anywhere  but 
the  Opera." 

"  But  the  strongest  reason,  and  the  one  that  finally 
decided  my  aunt,  is  that  there  isn't  any  railroad  to  Ro- 
mainville." 

"  Surely  that  must  be  a  great  deprivation  to  a  person 
who,  when  she  is  once  settled  in  her  country-house,  never 
goes  to  Paris  at  all." 

"And  so  my  aunt  bought  a  house  in  the  opposite 
direction — at  Passy." 

"  Passy  and  Romainville  are  not  exactly  side  by  side, 
that  is  true ;  and  they  are  not  much  alike,  either." 

"  Oh  !  they're  entirely  different ! — Aristoloche,  do  keep 
still ! — Passy's  a  fashionable,  convenient  place  to  live  in  ; 
you  can't  go  out  of  the  house  unless  you're  dressed  up." 

"  That  must  be  very  pleasant  when  one's  in  the  country." 

"  The  houses  all  have  polished  floors  from  top  to  bot- 
tom. The  one  my  aunt  bought — don't  jump  about  so, 


AUNT  DUPONCEAU  243 

Narcisse ! — the  one  my  aunt  bought  is  smaller  than  her 
house  at  Romainville;  but  it  cost  a  lot  more.  There's 
no  fruit  in  the  garden,  but  it's  ever  so  much  smaller." 

"  What  does  grow  in  the  garden — ducks  ?  " 

"  There's  a  little  honeysuckle,  and  ivy,  and  grass — oh ! 
it's  well  kept  up." 

"  If  it  satisfies  all  of  you,  that's  the  main  point. — Are 
you  going  to  the  country  such  a  cold  day  as  this  ?  " 

"  Aunt  always  expects  us  Saturday,  to  stay  till  Mon- 
day." 

"  Ah,  yes !  it  is  Saturday,  isn't  it  ? — just  as  it  was  when 
I  met  you  waiting  for  an  omnibus  at  Porte  Saint-Martin." 

"  But,  since  then — Aristoloche,  if  you  move  again,  I'll 
box  your  ears  ! — since  then,  it  seems  to  me,  Monsieur 
Cherami,  that  things  have  improved  a  little  with  you — 
judging  by  your  dress  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  dear  Madame  Capucine ;  I  have  collected  a 
little  money  that  was  owing  me. — Mon  Dieu !  that  re- 
minds me;  twenty  times  I  have  had  it  in  my  mind  to 
look  you  up  and  settle  that  little  balance  I  still  owe  your 
husband ;  but  something  else  has  always  put  it  out  of 
my  head ;  it's  a  mere  trifle,  to  be  sure,  but  I  propose  to 
settle  it  very  soon." 

"  Very  good !  but  if  you  want  to  see  Capucine,  there's  a 
very  simple  way  to  do  it — that  is,  unless  you  are  engaged 
for  the  day." 

"  The  day  ?  I  can  do  what  I  choose  with  it,  I  am  as 
free  as  air." 

"  Then  come  with  us  to  Passy,  to  my  aunt's ;  she  ex- 
pects us  to  breakfast,  in  fact;  we're  a  little  late,  and — 
Narcisse,  will  you  please  not  pull  the  feathers  of  your 
beautiful  Henri  IV  hat  like  that ;  you'll  spoil  them !  " 

"  The  old  hat  makes  me  squint ;  it  puts  my  eyes  out." 


244  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

"  What  a  bad  boy !    A  hat  that  your  aunt  gave  you  !  " 
"  You  were  saying,  my  dear  Madame  Capucine  ?  " 
"  I  was  asking  you  to  come  with  us  to  Aunt  Dupon- 
ceau's;  you  know  her;  and  to-night,  at  six  o'clock,  Capu- 
cine will  join   us  there,  and  you   can  settle  your  little 
account  with  him.    What  do  you  think  of  my  scheme  ?  " 
Cherami  reflected  a  moment,  then  replied : 
"  Your  scheme  hits  me — I  mean,  it  suits  me  perfectly. 
The  company  of  a  charming  woman — an  improvised  trip 
to  the  country — this  breakfast,  which  will  not  detract 
from  the  pleasure  of  the  occasion — I  am  at  your  service. 
Let's  be  off." 

"  Ah !  that's  very  good  of  you  ! " 
And  the  stout  lady  smiled  a  smile  of  lingering  sweet- 
ness at  Cherami,  who  was  in  her  eyes  a  very  handsome 
fellow  now  that  he  was  well  dressed.  He  had  already 
formed  his  plan,  into  which  the  payment  of  his  debt  did 
not  enter;  but  he  was  certain  of  a  good  breakfast,  and 
probably  of  being  invited  to  dine  as  well,  with  Aunt 
Duponceau ;  after  dinner,  he  would  readily  find  some 
pretext  for  escaping  from  the  Capucine  family. 

"  Here  comes  the  Passy  omnibus,"  said  Madame  Capu- 
cine ;  "  let's  not  miss  it." 

They  entered  the  omnibus;  Madame  Capucine  took 
Master  Aristoloche  on  her  lap,  in  order  to  avoid  paying 
for  a  seat  for  him  ;  she  requested  Cherami  to  do  as  much 
for  Narcisse,  a  suggestion  which  did  not  seem  to  tempt 
the  ex-beau.  Luckily  for  him,  the  urchin  insisted  upon 
having  a  seat  all  to  himself,  threatening,  if  they  did  not 
humor  him,  to  sit  on  his  Henri  IV  hat.  This  threat  pro- 
duced its  effect :  Master  Narcisse  took  his  seat  in  a  corner, 
and  Cherami  declared  that  the  little  fellow  deserved  to  be 
put  by  himself. 


AUNT  D  UP  ONCE  A  U  245 

The  omnibus  started,  and  they  soon  arrived  at  Passy ; 
thereupon  Cherami  had  no  choice  but  to  offer  Madame 
Capucine  his  arm  to  her  aunt's  abode.  The  little  boys 
went  before  them,  jumping  and  frolicking.  At  Passy  they 
were  in  no  danger  from  wagons,  and  Master  Narcisse 
had  seized  Cherami's  switch,  with  which  he  belabored 
all  the  stone  posts  and  benches;  a  proceeding  which  was 
far  from  amusing  to  the  owner  of  the  stick,  who  expected 
from  moment  to  moment  to  see  it  in  the  same  state  as 
Monsieur  Courbichon's  cane. 

"  That  little  fellow  promises  well !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Isn't  he  full  of  ideas  ?  " 

"  I  am  convinced  that  he  will  end  by  breaking  my 
switch.  But  how  does  it  happen  that  you  didn't  bring 
your  maid  Adelaide  ?  " 

"  Oh !  don't  talk  to  me  about  that  girl,  I  beg !  " 

"  What !  can  it  be  that  the  faithful  Adelaide  stole  from 
you  ?  " 

"  No,  it  wasn't  her  honesty  that  gave  out ;  it  was  some- 
thing else.  Ah !  who  would  ever  have  thought,  who 

would  ever  have  believed An  ugly,  thin,  shapeless 

creature.  Oh !  men  have  very  beastly  tastes  sometimes ! " 

"  The  deuce !  do  you  mean  to  say  that  Capucine " 

"  What !  oh !  no,  indeed,  monsieur ;  it  wasn't  my  hus- 
band! Ah!" 

And  Madame  Capucine  looked  up  at  the  sky  with  an 
expression  which  seemed  to  say: 

"  If  it  only  had  been ! " 

Then  she  added  indignantly : 

"  Ballot,  monsieur ;  Ballot,  our  young  clerk ! " 

"  The  devil !  that  young  man  you  liked  so  well  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure.  As  if  anyone  could  have  dreamed !  He 
behaved  very  well  at  first." 


246  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"And  he  went  astray  in  the  kitchen?" 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

"  But  was  it  perfectly  certain  ?  People  are  so  ill- 
natured  ! " 

"They  were  caught,  monsieur;  caught  among  the 
bunches  of  onions." 

"  Enough !  tell  me  no  more ;  you  would  bring  tears 
to  my  eyes." 

"  So,  as  you  can  imagine,  I  purified  my  house  on  the 
instant ;  I  dismissed  Mademoiselle  Adelaide." 

"  And  your  clerk  too  ?  " 

"  He  went  of  his  own  accord.  We  might  have  for- 
given him,  perhaps ;  he  was  so  young !  " 

"  Of  course,  and  the  smell  of  onions  goes  to  the  heart." 

"  But  Monsieur  Ballot  chose  to  lose  his  head,  and  away 
he  went." 

"  You  will  find  somebody  to  take  his  place." 

"  That's  what  I'm  looking  for  at  this  moment.  Ah ! 
Monsieur  Cherami,  a  young  man  who  had — my  whole 
confidence!  You  can't  rely  on  anything  or  anybody 
nowadays ! " 

"  That's  the  only  way  to  avoid  being  taken  in." 

The  stout  lady  heaved  a  tremendous  sigh  and  leaned 
heavily  on  the  arm  of  her  escort,  who  said  to  himself: 

"  I  wonder  if  she  would  like  to  have  me  replace  Mon- 
sieur Ballot  ? — Thanks !  I  have  my  cue." 

In  due  time,  they  arrived  at  Madame  Duponceau's 
house.  She  was  a  little  woman,  who  shook  her  head 
constantly  when  conversing,  so  that  she  seemed  always  to 
reply  in  the  negative  to  the  questions  that  were  asked  her. 
She  received  Cherami  with  cordiality,  although  she  barely 
knew  him ;  but  she  liked  company,  and  was  especially 
eager  to  have  people  admire  her  house.  Cherami  was 


AUNT  DUPONCEAU  247 

inclined  to  favor  admiring  her  breakfast  first ;  and,  as  the 
young  Capucines  supported  that  idea,  they  repaired  at 
once  to  the  dining-room. 

The  breakfast  consisted  of  a  pie,  boiled  eggs,  ham,  and 
coffee  only;  but  the  pie  was  succulent,  the  eggs  fresh, 
the  ham  tender,  and  the  coffee  very  strong,  so  that  they 
breakfasted  satisfactorily;  then  Aunt  Duponceau  cried: 

"  You  must  come  and  see  my  house,  from  cellar  to 
roof." 

Cherami,  whose  paunch  was  well  filled,  was  already 
saying  to  himself: 

"  Sapristi !  if  I  have  got  to  stay  here  till  night,  between 
the  aunt  and  the  niece,  with  the  accompaniment  of  two 
little  brats  who  keep  wiping  their  hands  on  my  trousers, 
I  shall  pay  dear  for  my  dinner !  Let's  see  if  I  can't  find 
a  back-door. — We  had  better  begin  the  inspection  of 
your  house  with  the  garden,"  he  said  to  Aunt  Dupon- 
ceau ;  "  after  such  an  excellent  breakfast,  one  feels  the 
need  of  a  breath  of  fresh  air." 

This  suggestion  was  adopted,  and  they  adjourned  to 
the  garden,  which  was  of  small  dimensions  and  offered 
nothing  attractive  to  the  eye  save  four  gillyflowers  in 
pots ;  for  in  December  there  are  few  leaves  on  the  trees. 
The  garden  presented  but  slight  attraction,  therefore,  but 
at  the  end  of  it  was  a  gate  opening  on  the  Bois  de  Bou- 
logne. The  ladies  and  the  children,  being  stiff  with  cold, 
soon  had  enough  of  the  garden ;  whereupon  Cherami 
took  a  cigar  from  his  pocket,  saying: 

"  I  am  going  to  ask  your  leave  to  smoke  this  cigar 
outside,  in  the  Bois.  I  cannot  go  without  a  smoke  after 
breakfast ;  it's  a  habit  that  has  fastened  itself  on  me :  a 
very  bad  habit,  I  admit,  but  it's  too  late  to  cure  myself 
of  it." 


248  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Smoke  in  the  garden,"  said  Madame  Duponceau. 

"  No,  indeed  !  Your  garden's  very  small,  and  the  smell 
of  tobacco  would  sadly  impair  the  perfume  of  your  gilly- 
flowers. I  don't  choose  to  turn  your  delightful  cottage 
into  a  barrack." 

"  He  is  very  well  bred,"  whispered  Madame  Duponceau 
to  her  niece. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Madame  Capucine ;  "  I  shouldn't  know 
Monsieur  Cherami,  now  that  he's  decently  dressed." 

Our  smoker  succeeded,  not  without  difficulty,  in  rescu- 
ing his  switch  from  the  hands  of  young  Narcisse,  who 
insisted  on  beating  his  brother  with  it;  he  lighted  his 
cigar,  passed  through  the  gate  at  the  end  of  the  garden, 
and  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief. 

"  Par  la  sambleu  !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  here  I  am  outside 
at  last;  there  are  breakfasts  which  cost  a  big  price. 
Madame  Capucine  ogles  me  in  a  way  that  begins  to 
alarm  me.  Her  aunt  always  seems  to  refuse  what  you 
ask  her.  The  little  brats  are  two  infernal  monkeys,  who 
ought  to  be  kept  in  the  big  cage  at  the  Jardin  des 
Plantes.  Ouf !  I  feel  the  need  of  air  !  I  hardly  expected 
this  morning  to  go  for  a  walk  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne, 
in  such  an  atmosphere  as  this.  But,  since  I  am  here,  I 
must  make  the  most  of  my  luck.  I  won't  go  back  to 
those  mummies  till  dinner  time.  I'll  tell  them  that  mv 
cigar  made  me  ill." 


THE  BO  IS  DE  BOULOGNE  249 


XXXV 

THE  BOIS  DE  BOULOGNE 

Cherami  sauntered  through  the  Bois,  where,  by  reason 
of  the  season  and  the  early  hour,  he  met  very  few  people. 
He  had  just  lighted  his  second  cigar,  when,  as  he  turned 
from  one  path  into  another,  he  saw  a  man  coming  toward 
him,  very  well  dressed,  walking  very  rapidly,  and  turn- 
ing from  time  to  time,  to  look  behind  him  and  on  both 
sides,  as  if  he  feared  that  he  was  followed.  When  he  saw 
Cherami  walking  in  his  direction,  he  stopped,  and  seemed 
undecided  as  to  what  he  should  do,  being  evidently  in- 
clined to  retrace  his  steps.  But,  meanwhile,  our  smoker 
was  drawing  nearer,  and  ere  long  the  two  men  stood  face 
to  face  and  looked  at  each  other.  Thereupon  each  of 
the  two  uttered  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 

"  Pardieu !  I  am  not  mistaken.  It  is  Monsieur  Auguste 
Monleard  whom  I  have  the  honor  of  saluting  ?  " 

"  And  you  are  the  gentleman  with  whom  I  fought  at 
Belleville  ?  " 

"  Himself — at  your  service,  for  anything  in  my  power ! 
— Arthur  Cherami." 

"  Ah,  yes  !     I  had  forgotten  your  name." 

"  This  is  very  early  for  you  to  be  in  the  Bois  de  Bou- 
logne. I  say  early,  although  it  is  after  half-past  twelve ; 
but  in  winter  people  seldom  come  for  a  turn  in  the  Bois 
until  between  three  o'clock  and  five." 

"  True,  very  true ;  but  how  about  yourself?  " 

"  Oh !  I  breakfasted  at  Passy,  with  certain  excellent 
people,  whose  society  is  not  over  and  above  diverting : 


250  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

and,  faith !  after  breakfast  I  came  here  for  a  smoke.  How 
does  it  happen  that  you  are  not  on  horseback  ?  " 

"  Why,  because  it  suited  me  to  come  on  foot,  I  pre- 
sume." 

"  That  was  well  deserved — excuse  my  curiosity.  For 
my  part,  if  I  still  owned  a  horse,  I  certainly  wouldn't  be 
on  foot.  You  see,  I  am  very  fond  of  horses  !  I  used  to 
have  some  fine  ones :  that  was  my  passion !  " 

While  Cherami  was  speaking,  Auguste  continued  to 
glance  uneasily  from  side  to  side ;  he  was  even  paler 
than  usual,  and  his  face  wore  a  grave  and  gloomy  ex- 
pression. 

"  Do  you  happen  to  have  a  meeting  on  hand  for 
to-day  ?  "  continued  Cherami,  flicking  the  ashes  from  his 
cigar.  "  If  that's  the  case,  and  you  need  a  second,  you 
know,  my  dear  monsieur,  that  I  am  entirely  at  your  ser- 
vice, and  that  I  should  be  enchanted  to  oblige  you  in 
any  way." 

"  No,  no,  I  have  no  duel  this  morning,"  Auguste  re- 
plied ;  then,  gazing  fixedly  at  the  person  before  him,  he 
added,  in  a  minute  or  two :  "  And  yet,  monsieur,  you 
can,  none  the  less,  do  me  a  very  great  favor." 

"  I  can  ?  Then,  speak  !  I  am  entirely  at  your  service. 
I  have  nothing  to  do." 

"  Yes,  it  was  a  lucky  chance  that  led  to  my  meeting 
you  here.  I  left  Paris  this  morning,  rather  suddenly, 
and  I  forgot  to  write  to  a  certain  person ;  but  it's  very 
important  that  I  should." 

"  You  want  me  to  carry  a  letter  to  someone  ?  " 

"  Monsieur  Cherami,  this  is  a  matter  of  the  utmost 
gravity ;  I  apply  to  you,  because  I  think  I  have  judged 
you  accurately.  You  are  a  man  capable  of  understand- 
ing me." 


THE  BOIS  DE  BOULOGNE  251 

"  The  deuce !  the  deuce !  but  you  have  a  serious  way 
of  talking !  It  is  plain  that  this  is  no  joking  matter." 

"  Are  you  still  disposed  to  do  me  a  favor  ?  " 

"  More  so  than  ever." 

"  Very  well ;  then  be  good  enough  to  come  with  me. 
There  must  be  a  cafe  somewhere  about  here ;  a  restau- 
rant where  I  can  write  a  letter  ?  " 

"  Yes,  we  have  only  to  turn  back  a  little  way,  and  we 
shall  find  what  we  want." 

"  Let  us  go.     Have  you  breakfasted  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes ;  as  I  told  you  just  now,  I  breakfasted  at 
Passy.  But  that  won't  interfere  with  my  taking  some- 
thing more.  The  air  is  sharp,  and  walking  assists  in 
rapid  digestion." 

They  turned  back ;  Auguste  walked  so  fast  that  Cher- 
ami,  despite  his  long  legs,  had  difficulty  in  following  him ; 
he  tried  to  continue  the  conversation,  but  his  companion 
seemed  absorbed  by  his  thoughts,  and  did  not  answer. 

"  There's  something  wrong  with  that  man,"  said  Arthur 
to  himself,  as  he  lighted  another  cigar.  "  I  don't  know 
what  it  is,  but  that  long  face  of  his  doesn't  indicate  a  man 
who  is  trying  to  make  up  his  mind  what  sauce  to  order  for 
his  lobster.  However,  it's  his  business.  He  has  confidence 
in  me,  and  I'll  not  betray  him,  for  he's  a  good  fellow.  I  am 
only  sorry  that  I  stuffed  myself  with  eggs  and  pie  at  Aunt 
Duponceau's,  for  I  should  have  breakfasted  much  better 
with  him,  that's  sure.  But  every  man  isn't  a  sorcerer." 

They  found  a  cafe-restaurant,  and  were  shown  to  a 
private  room. 

"  Order  whatever  you  choose,"  said  Auguste  to  Cher- 
ami  ;  "  I  have  breakfasted." 

"  You  too  ?  In  that  case,  it  was  hardly  worth  while 
to  come  here." 


252  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  I  beg  your  pardon ;  I  am  going  to  write,  I  must 
write,  two  letters ;  then  I  will  leave  you.  So,  eat  at  your 
leisure ;  you  have  no  occasion  to  hurry." 

"  Very  good. — Waiter !  Let  me  see,  what  can  I  take 
— something  light,  to  give  me  an  appetite  ?  Ah  !  I  have 
it.  Bring  me  a  good  slice  of  pate  de  foie  gras,  and  a 
bottle  of  very  old  Beaune ;  we  will  toy  with  that,  and 
then  we'll  see." 

Cherami  was  duly  served.  Meanwhile,  Auguste  had 
seated  himself  at  another  table  and  was  writing. 

Madame  Duponceau's  breakfast  did  not  interfere  with 
Cherami's  enjoyment  of  the  foie  gras,  which  he  watered 
with  frequent  draughts  of  Beaune,  saying  to  his  neighbor 
from  time  to  time : 

"  Pray  drink  a  glass  of  this  wine ;  it's  old  and  very 
good ;  there  won't  be  any  left  in  a  moment ;  however,  we 
can  remedy  that  by  ordering  another. — Waiter,  bring  me 
some  kind  of  cheese  and  a  second  bottle  of  this  Beaune." 

Auguste  had  ceased  to  write ;  he  sealed  the  two  letters 
and  handed  them  to  Cherami. 

"  Will  you  kindly  take  these  letters,  my  dear  monsieur  ? 
one  is  for  my  wife,  Madame  Monleard ;  the  address  is 
written  on  it." 

"  By  the  way,  how  is  your  good  wife  ?  " 

"  Very  well ;  but  allow  me  to  finish.  This  other  letter, 
without  address,  is  for  you." 

"  For  me  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and  you  must  give  me  your  word  of  honor  not 
to  read  it  until  half  an  hour  after  I  have  left  you." 

"  Half  an  hour  after  you  have  left  me  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  will  you  promise  ?  " 

"  If  it  will  oblige  you,  I  promise." 

"  Thanks ;  I  rely  upon  your  word." 


THE  BOIS  DE  BOULOGNE  253 

"  You  may  safely  do  so ;  I  haven't  thirty-six  words  in 
serious  matters ;  but  the  other  letter  ?  " 

"  When  you  have  read  what  I  have  written  to  you,  you 
will  see  what  I  ask  you  to  do ;  and  I  am  confident  that 
you  will  carry  out  my  intentions." 

"  I  have  told  you  that  I  am  entirely  at  your  service." 

"  Here  is  my  purse,  for  I  shall  not  come  back  here. 
You  will  find  enough  inside  to  pay  for  whatever  you 
may  have  ordered." 

"  Very  good ;  I  will  pay,  and  I  will  put  the  change  in 
the  purse.  It's  a  very  pretty  little  thing — very  dainty, 
and  in  excellent  taste." 

"  If  you  like  it,  pray  keep  it  in  memory  of — our  ac- 
quaintance." 

"  You  are  really  too  kind.  I  don't  stand  on  ceremony, 
myself,  so  I  accept  it." 

"And  now — pour  me  a  glass  of  wine,  so  that  I  may 
drink  with  you." 

"  Ah !  now  you're  talking ! " 

Cherami  filled  two  glasses ;  Auguste  took  one  of  them 
with  a  firm  hand,  touched  it  to  the  one  held  by  the  ex- 
beau,  muttered  a  few  unintelligible  words,  and  swallowed 
the  wine  at  a  single  gulp. 

"  Sapristi !  how  fast  you  go !  one  has  no  time  to  follow 
you.  I  toss  champagne  off  like  that  sometimes,  but  it's 
a  miserable  way  to  drink,  as  a  rule.  I  like  better  to  sip. 
Shall  we  have  another  glass,  so  that  I  may  drink  your 
health  ?  " 

"  No,  I  haven't  time.  Adieu,  monsieur;  I  rely  on  your 
promise.  You  will  not  read  that  letter  for  half  an  hour." 

"  You  have  my  word !     Are  you  going  so  soon  ?  " 

"  I  must." 

"  When  shall  I  see  you  again  ?  " 


254 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


"  Impossible  to  say.     Adieu,  monsieur ! " 

"  Au  revoir,  rather !  " 

Auguste  took  his  hat,  shook  hands  with  Cherami, 
pointed  again  to  the  two  letters  on  the  table,  and  rushed 
from  the  room. 

Cherami  balanced  himself  on  the  hind  legs  of  his 
chair,  drank  another  glass  of  wine,  and  ordered  cigars, 
saying : 

"  As  I  have  to  stay  here  another  half-hour,  I  may  as 
well  employ  my  time  to  advantage. — Waiter!  coffee, 
brandy,  and  kirsch.  By  the  way,  see  what  time  it  is 
now  by  your  sundials,  and  tell  me  exactly." 

The  waiter  brought  what  had  been  ordered,  and  said : 

"  The  clock  in  the  hall  has  just  struck  two,  monsieur." 

"  Very  good ;  when  it  strikes  the  half-hour,  you  are  to 
come  and  tell  me ;  do  you  hear  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  I  shall  not  fail.  Does  monsieur  wish 
anything  else  ?  " 

"  No ;  these  decanters  of  brandy  and  kirsch  will  help 
me  kill  time.  If  I  want  you,  I'll  ring. — This  has  been  a 
most  extraordinary  day ! "  said  Cherami  to  himself,  as  he 
lighted  a  fresh  cigar.  "  I  hardly  suspected,  this  morning, 
when  I  was  pacing  the  boulevards  to  get  up  an  appetite, 
that  I  should  breakfast  at  Passy,  and  then  breakfast  a 
second  time  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne.  This  Monsieur 
Auguste  Monleard  is  concealing  some  scheme  or  other 
which  is  not  of  a  cheerful  nature.  Those  two  letters  he 
left  with  me — one  of  which  is  for  myself — there's  a  mys- 
tery about  the  whole  business !  This  purse  he  gave  me 
is  a  very  dainty  affair ;  let's  see  what  there  is  in  it.  A 
hundred-franc  note !  Damnation !  I  have  my  cue !  I 
shall  have  enough  to  pay  for  my  breakfast. — What  are 
these  other  papers  ?  Broker's  memorandums :  '  bought 


THE  BOIS  DE  BOULOGNE  255 

by  order  of  M.  Monleard;  sold  by  order  of  M.  Mon- 
leard.' — These  are  of  no  importance,  and  there's  nothing 
else.  Can  it  be  that  our  young  capitalist  has  been  un- 
lucky in  speculation,  and  has  vamosed,  as  they  say  ? — 
It's  very  possible.  Well !  I  shall  know  all  about  it  before 
long  ;  at  least  ten  minutes  must  have  passed.  Let's  take 
a  drink  of  kirsch.  That  little  scamp  of  a  Narcisse  has 
nicked  my  switch  all  up.  Children  are  very  nice — when 
they're  well  brought  up. — I  can't  keep  my  eyes  off  that 
letter.  Time  never  dragged  so  with  me  !  Suppose  I  ask 
for  my  bill — that's  a  good  idea. — Waiter ! " 

"  Did  monsieur  call  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  bring  me  my  check.  Add  three  more  kirsches 
— I  shall  drink  them  before  I  go — and,  when  you  come 
back,  tell  me  what  time  it  is." 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

The  waiter  returned  with  the  bill,  which  he  handed  to 
Cherami,  saying: 

"  It's  a  quarter  past  two,  monsieur." 

"  Only  a  quarter !  Sacrebleu  !  you  make  a  mistake  ; 
it  isn't  possible  that  it's  only  a  quarter  past !  " 

"  I  give  you  my  word,  monsieur,  that  that's  all  it  is  by 
the  clock  in  the  hall.  If  you  will  come  and  look  for 
yourself " 

"  All  right !  Let's  see  the  footing  !  seventeen  francs 
fifty.  Here,  change  this  note  for  me,  and,  when  you 
bring  back  the  change,  look  at  the  clock  a  little  more 
carefully." 

"  Why,  monsieur,  I  can't  look  at  it  any  different  way 
from " 

"  Go,  boy,  and  don't  argue.     I  don't  like  arguers." 

"  Such  is  life  !  "  mused  Cherami,  resorting  to  the  kirsch 
once  more ;  "  when  you're  with  a  woman  who  pleases 


256  MONSIEUR    CHE  RAM! 

you,  when  you're  playing  an  exciting  game  of  cards, 
time  doesn't  walk;  it  flies:  hora  vita  simul!  At  other 
times,  it  crawls  like  a  tortoise ;  and  yet,  the  time  is  sure 
to  come  when  we  find  that  it  has  moved  altogether  too 
fast!  That  simply  proves  that  men  are  never  satisfied 
with  the  present.  Ah  !  what  a  pretty,  old  fairy  tale  that 
is  of  Nourjahad  and  Cheredin,  which  impressed  me  so 
when  I  read  it — in  my  youth.  Monsieur  Nourjahad  is 
a  young,  handsome,  and  wealthy  Mussulman,  who  lacks 
nothing  to  make  him  happy,  and,  of  course,  he  isn't  satis- 
fied ;  he  complains  because  time  doesn't  go  fast  enough 
to  suit  him,  because  he  is  to  marry  his  cousin  at  twenty- 
five,  and  to  reign  over  a  great  kingdom  when  he  is  thirty. 
Cheredin  is  an  old  dervish,  something  of  a  sorcerer ;  he 
hears  Nourjahad  railing  at  destiny,  and  says  to  him :  '  I  can 
grant  you  the  power  to  make  time  pass  as  swiftly  as 
you  wish ;  but,  beware !  it  is  very  dangerous.  You  will 
shorten  your  life,  if  you  do  not  moderate  your  desires.' 
— The  young  man  is  overjoyed,  he  accepts,  and  promises 
to  use  in  moderation  the  power  which  is  bestowed  on 
him.  But,  fiddle-de-dee !  When  shall  we  ever  see  a 
man  resist  the  desire  of  possessing  at  once  what  he  ought 
not  to  have  until  later  ?  Nourjahad  desires  to  be  twenty- 
five  years  old,  in  order  to  marry  his  cousin ;  then  thirty, 
in  order  to  be  sultan.  Soon  he  desires  to  be  a  father, 
then  to  see  his  child  grown  up ;  then,  being  at  war  with 
his  neighbors,  he  wants  the  decisive  battle  to  come  at 
once.  In  a  word,  that  devil  of  a  Nourjahad  goes  so 
fast,  in  the  satisfaction  of  his  desires,  that  he  finds  that  he 
has  grown  thirty  years  older  in  a  month;  thereupon 
he  curses  the  power  that  was  placed  in  his  hands,  and 
Cheredin  observes :  '  My  good  friend,  that  is  what  all 
men  would  do,  if  they  were  enabled  to  make  time  move 


THE  BO  IS  DE  BOULOGNE  257 

faster.' — And,  touching  Nourjahad  with  his  wand,  he 
restores  his  youth,  and  advises  him  to  keep  it  as  long 
as  possible. — That  is  a  very  sensible  preachment ;  but  if, 
instead  of  making  time  move  faster,  one  could  make  it  go 
backward,  ah !  then  we  should  look  twice  before  doing  it. 
A  man  goes  through  some  such  infernal  quarter-hours 
in  the  course  of  his  life,  that  he  wouldn't  like  to  repeat 
them." 

The  waiter  appeared,  panting  for  breath,  and  cried : 
"  I  beg  your  pardon,  monsieur,  for  being  so  long,  but 
we  didn't  have  the  change  for  a  hundred  francs  here,  and 
I  had  to  go  a  long  way  to  get  it.     Lord !  what  a  nuisance 
change  is !     Count  it,  monsieur." 

"  And  the  time  ?     Sacrebleu !  tell  me  what  time  it  is, 
will  you  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  I  didn't  think  to  look,  monsieur." 
"  Then  go  and  look  now,  villain !  beast ! " 
"  Look  first  and  see  if  the  change  is  right." 
"  I  don't  care  a  damn  about  my  change.     The  time, 
you  rascal,  the  time,  at  once ! " 

Cherami  pushed  the  waiter  out  of  the  room  and  impa- 
tiently awaited  his  return,  muttering  again : 

"  Ah !  how  well  I  understand  Nourjahad's  feeling !  " 
"  Monsieur,  it   has    struck   the   half-hour ;    it's   three 
minutes  past,"  cried  the  waiter. 

"  At  last !  that's  very  lucky !     Off  with  you,  then !  " 
"  But  is  monsieur's  change  all  right  ?     I  want  to  be 
sure." 

"  What's  that  ?  yes,  blackguard,  it's  all  right ;  here  are 
two  francs  for  you  ;  and  now,  clear  out !  " 

"  Shall  I  come  back  and  tell  monsieur  the  time  again  ?" 
Cherami  half  rose  from  his  seat;    only  half,  but  the 
waiter  understood,  and  fled. 


258  MONSIEUR    CHER  AMI 

The  two  letters  were  on  the  table;  having  thrown 
away  the  end  of  his  cigar,  Cherami  took  the  one  which 
was  for  himself,  saying : 

"  It's  very  strange ;  I  really  feel  a  sort  of  emotion. 
Come,  no  nonsense ;  let's  see  what  there  is  inside ! " 

He  opened  the  letter  and  read : 

" '  My  dear  Monsieur : — When  you  read  these  words, 
.  I  shall  be  dead ' 

"  Dead ! "  cried  Cherami,  striking  the  table  violently 
with  his  clenched  fist.  "  Nonsense !  it  isn't  possible ;  I 
must  have  read  it  wrong !  but,  no ;  that's  what  it  says : 
'  I  shall  be  dead.'  Let's  go  on : 

"  '  I  had  a  very  respectable  little  fortune,  but  it  wasn't 
enough  for  me ;  I  speculated  on  the  Bourse,  and  I  had 
bad  luck ;  I  married,  hoping  that  a  woman's  love  would 
change  the  course  of  my  ideas,  and  that  an  attractive 
home  would  satisfy  my  ambition.  Unluckily,  I  was  mis- 
taken. The  person  whom  I  married  has  one  of  those 
emotionless  hearts  with  which  it  is  impossible  to  give 
play  to  one's  feelings ;  after  a  week  of  wedlock,  I  found 
that  she  had  not  the  slightest  love  for  me,  but  that  she 
desired  to  cut  a  figure  in  society,  and  to  eclipse  all  other 
women.  Thereupon  I  speculated  more  wildly  than  ever, 
in  order  to  gratify  my  vanity,  if  nothing  more.  Ten  days 
ago,  I  gave  a  great  party,  to  try  to  disguise  my  condi- 
tion. I  still  hoped  to  extricate  myself;  I  risked  all  that 
I  had !  I  lost,  and  I  am  ruined ! — and,  as  I  haven't  your 
philosophy,  as  I  could  not  determine  to  live  in  poverty 
after  having  tasted  the  pleasures  of  luxury,  I  am  going  to 
blow  out  my  brains.  Be  good  enough  to  call  upon  my 


THE  BOIS  DE  BOULOGNE  259 

wife  and  prepare  her  gently  for  the  news ;  I  do  not  think, 
however,  that  her  heart  will  suffer  most. 

" '  I  ask  your  pardon  for  the  trouble  I  cause  you,  but 
I  have  formed  this  judgment  of  you  :  that  you  are  a  man 
and  will  keep  the  promise  you  made  me.  Receive  my 
last  adieu. 

"  'AUGUSTE  MONLEARD.'  " 

For  a  few  moments  after  reading  this  letter,  Cherami 
was  speechless  with  dismay.  He  even  put  his  hand  to 
his  eyes  to  wipe  away  a  tear ;  then  muttered : 

"  What !  that  handsome  young  dandy  who  sat  there 
just  now  !  But,  sacrebleu  !  perhaps  it's  not  too  late  yet ! " 

Springing  to  his  feet,  he  seized  his  hat  and  cane,  put 
the  letters  in  his  pocket,  and  left  the  room.  Below,  he 
inquired  which  direction  his  late  companion  had  taken ; 
they  told  him,  and  he  hastened  away  toward  the  loneliest 
part  of  the  Bois.  But  he  soon  saw  a  crowd  of  people, 
and,  marching  toward  them,  some  gendarmes  who  had 
been  sent  for,  and  who  plunged  at  once  into  the  under- 
brush. 

"  What  has  happened  ?  "  he  inquired  of  a  peasant  woman 
who  passed  him ;  "  what  are  those  gendarmes  here  for  ?  " 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  monsieur,  because  someone  has  killed 
himself  in  the  woods — a  young  man — very  well  dressed, 
too,  I  give  you  my  word.  I  can't  understand  why  people 
who  are  rich  enough  to  dress  like  that  should  do  such 
things !  That  little  boy  there  found  him." 

"  It's  all  over  then  ;  he's  dead  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  yes,  monsieur. — And  his  nice  new  overcoat !  " 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Cherami  to  himself,  "  I  have  only 
to  execute  the  commission  he  intrusted  to  me." 


26o  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 


XXXVI 

A  STRONG  WOMAN 

As  he  returned  to  Paris,  Cherami's  reflections  took 
this  turn : 

"Well,  here's  something  that  changes  the  state  of 
affairs  very  materially.  That  young  Fanny's  a  widow — 
she's  free — her  husband  is  dead.  I  trust  that  Gustave 
won't  say  now  that  it  was  I  who  killed  him!  At  all 
events,  I  have  the  letter  he  wrote  me,  and  I  will  keep  it 
carefully;  otherwise,  people  would  be  quite  capable  of 
believing  that  I  shot  him  in  a  duel;  but,  after  all,  that 
young  woman,  whom  Gustave  still  adores — and  who  is 
the  cause  of  his  going  away  from  Paris  because  he's 
afraid  of  meeting  her — that  Fanny  for  whom  he  has  a 
passion  such  as  we  seldom  see  nowadays ;  I  might  say, 
such  as  we  never  see ! — However,  since  she  is  a  widow 
now,  and  since  she  greeted  Gustave  so  kindly  the  last 
time  he  met  her — for  I  remember  that  he  told  me  she 
even  urged  him  to  call — now,  then,  or  ergo,  as  we  used 
to  say  at  school,  since  that  young  woman  did  not  look 
upon  Gustave  with  an  unfavorable  eye  when  she  was 
married,  it  seems  to  me  that  she  should  look  upon  him 
even  more  favorably  now  that  she's  a  widow.  She  gave 
poor  Monleard  the  preference,  because  he  offered  her 
everything  that  attracts  a  woman.  To-day,  when  she 
is  ruined,  it  seems  to  me  that  she  would  be  very  glad 
to  fall  in  with  my  young  friend,  who  gives  me  the  im- 
pression of  occupying  a  very  satisfactory  position  in  life. 


A   STRONG    WOMAN  261 

I  really  believe  that  the  thing  can  be  arranged — not  in- 
stantly, because  we  must  give  the  little  woman  time  to 
weep  over  her  husband;  but  I  foresee  that  hereafter 
Gustave's  love  and  constancy  will  be  rewarded.  Ah !  I 
like  to  think  of  that;  for  then  Gustave  will  cease  to  travel, 
he  will  stay  in  Paris ;  and  a  man  is  very  glad  to  have  such 
friends  as  he  is,  always  at  hand.  What  a  pity  that  he  isn't 
here  now !  I  would  have  lost  no  time  in  telling  him  the 
great  news.  Oh !  but  I  will  find  out  where  he  is,  I  will 
find  him.  Meanwhile,  I  must  think  about  performing  my 
mission  to  the  young  wife,  with  all  proper  precautions. 
It  isn't  precisely  an  agreeable  errand ;  but  if  one  did  only 
agreeable  things,  it  would  become  monotonous." 

Fanny  was  in  her  boudoir,  trying  on  some  morning 
caps,  and  leaving  her  mirror  from  time  to  time  to  go  to 
look  at  the  last  bulletin  from  the  Bourse,  which  was  on 
her  toilet  table,  when  her  maid  appeared  and  told  her 
that  a  gentleman  desired  to  speak  to  her. 

"  A  gentleman !  What  gentleman  ?  Do  you  know 
him?  Did  he  give  his  name?" 

"  No,  madame ;  I  have  never  seen  him  here." 

"  Are  you  sure  that  he  wants  to  see  me,  not  Monsieur 
Monleard  ?  " 

"  It  is  certainly  you,  madame ;  and  he  says  that  it's  on 
very  important  business." 

"  Is  the  man  respectable  ?  Does  he  look  like  a  gen- 
tleman ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  madame." 

"  Then  show  him  into  the  salon ;  I  will  go  down." 

She  hastily  finished  her  toilet,  saying  to  herself: 

"  Monsieur  Vauflers  has  probably  sent  some  friend  of 
his  to  tell  me  what  he  has  done  on  the  Bourse.  It's 
after  four  o'clock ;  yes,  it  must  be  that." 


262  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

Cherami,  being  ushered  into  the  salon,  scrutinized  the 
furniture,  muttering : 

"  It's  not  bad,  it's  very  chic !  I  used  to  have  such 
quarters  myself.  It's  more  comfortable  than  the  Widow 
Louchard's  lodgings.  But  one  has  his  ups  and  downs 
all  the  same,  even  in  such  surroundings." 

Fanny  appeared  at  last;  she  bowed  to  her  visitor, 
who  seemed  to  her  to  have  "  a  funny  look  " ;  for  such 
is  the  fashionable  method  of  describing  what  one  does 
not  know  how  to  describe ;  then  she  pointed  to  a  chair, 
and  said : 

"  You  wish  to  speak  to  me,  monsieur  ?  about  some 
business  at  the  Bourse,  I  presume  ?  " 

Cherami  was  embarrassed  at  the  sight  of  the  young 
woman.  He  realized  that  his  mission  was  more  difficult 
to  execute  than  he  had  thought ;  however,  he  sat  down, 
stammering : 

"  Madame — it  is — it  is  on  the  subject " 

"  Of  to-day's  market,  is  it  not  ?  " 

"  No,  not  to-day's,  madame ;  but  it  was  the  Bourse 
which  caused — which  brought  about  the  event — the 
calamity " 

"  Be  kind  enough,  monsieur,  to  explain  yourself  more 
clearly,  for  I  do  not  understand  you  at  all." 

Cherami  bit  his  lips,  seeking  the  best  method  of  pre- 
paring the  young  woman  for  what  he  had  to  tell  her; 
and  after  reflecting  for  a  considerable  time,  he  cried : 

"  Madame,  I  came  to  tell  you  that  your  husband  is 
dead  ! " 

Fanny  started  from  her  seat,  gazed  at  the  man  before 
her,  and  rejoined,  with  a  shrug  of  her  shoulders : 

"  If  this  is  a  joke,  monsieur,  allow  me  to  inform  you 
that  it  is  in  execrable  taste." 


A    STJ?OATG    WOMAN  263 

"  Therefore  I  should  not  have  the  hardihood  to  indulge 
in  it,  madame.  I  did  not  come  here  with  any  purpose 
of  joking ;  what  I  say  to  you,  I  say  in  all  seriousness." 

"  But  I  saw  my  husband  at  breakfast  this  forenoon, 
monsieur.  He  was  not  ill,  not  even  indisposed.  What, 
in  heaven's  name,  can  have  happened  to  him  ?  " 

"  Nothing  has  happened  to  him ;  he  himself  thought 
it  best  to  put  an  end  to  his  own  life ;  and  he  blew  out 
his  brains  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne,  about  half-past  two 
o'clock." 

Fanny  changed  color,  but  did  not  lose  courage. 

"  No,  monsieur ;  it's  not  possible,"  she  rejoined ;  "  there 
is  some  mistake,  it  cannot  be  my  husband.  Why  should 
Auguste  kill  himself — young,  rich,  and  happy  as  he  was  ?  " 

"  It  would  seem,  madame,  that  he  was  much  less  happy 
than  you  like  to  think.  And  as  to  being  rich,  he  was 
so  no  longer,  for  he  had  ruined  himself  utterly  on  the 
Bourse ;  he  was  penniless,  and  he  lacked  the  courage  to 
endure  these  hard  blows  of  fortune." 

"  Ruined !  "  cried  the  young  woman,  springing  to  her 
feet.  "  What  do  you  say,  monsieur  ?  Ruined !  why,  then 
I  am  ruined,  too !  Then  I  have  nothing !  Why,  that 
would  be  too  terrible ;  it  would  be  ghastly ! " 

"  Poor  Auguste  was  right,"  thought  Cherami,  observ- 
ing Fanny's  despair ;  "  it  isn't  his  death  that  grieves  his 
wife  most." 

"  But,  monsieur,  how  do  you  know — how  did  you  learn 
of  this  event  ?  And  even  if  my  husband  is  dead,  how  do 
you  know  that  he  was  ruined  ?  " 

"  Be  good  enough  to  listen  a  moment,  madame.  This 
noon,  after  breakfasting  at  Passy  with  some  worthy  people, 
— who  must  be  expecting  me  to  dinner  at  this  moment, 
by  the  way,  but  I  shall  not  go, — I  had  gone  to  smoke  a 


264  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

cigar  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne,  where  there  were  very  few 
people,  the  cold  being  so  intense.  There  I  met  your  hus- 
band ;  we  were  acquainted,  he  had  seen  me  on  a  certain 
occasion — in  short,  he  knew  what  sort  of  man  I  am.  He 
came  to  me  and  asked  me  if  I  would  do  him  an  important 
service ;  as  you  may  imagine,  madame,  I  placed  myself 
at  his  disposal.  We  went  to  a  cafe,  where  he  wrote  two 
letters.  One  was  for  me,  which  he  made  me  promise 
not  to  open  until  half  an  hour  after  he  had  left  me ;  then 
he  went  away.  I  waited  the  half-hour,  then  opened  the 
letter.  He  told  me  therein  of  his  deplorable  determina- 
tion, and  of  the  reasons  which  had  led  him  to  it ;  then  he 
requested  me  to  take  the  other  letter — to  its  address." 

"  For  whom  was  that  other  letter  ?  " 

"  For  you,  madame.     Here  it  is." 

Fanny  took  in  a  trembling  hand  the  letter  which  Cher- 
ami  handed  her,  and  read  in  an  altered  voice : 

"  '  I  thought,  madame,  that  by  marrying  you  I  ensured 
the  happiness  of  both ;  I  was  mistaken ;  I  needed  a  loving 
wife  to  calm  and  allay  the  vivacity  of  my  passions ;  I  found 
in  you  simply  a  woman  who  adored  money  and  pleasure 
above  all  else.' " 

At  that,  Fanny  paused,  and  read  the  remainder  of  the 
letter  to  herself: 

"  I  make  no  reproaches,  madame ;  a  woman  cannot 
recast  her  nature,  especially  at  your  age.  Feeling  is  a 
gift  of  nature,  as  selfishness  is  a  vice  of  the  heart;  I 
judged  you  ill;  it  was  my  fault,  not  yours.  Being  unable 
to  enjoy  the  domestic  happiness  of  which  I  had  dreamed, 
I  tried  to  replace  it  by  all  the  enjoyments  arising  from 


A   STRONG    WOMAN  265 

vanity ;  I  have  failed,  and  I  have  lost  all  that  I  possessed. 
You,  too,  are  interested  in  the  Bourse ;  take  my  advice, 
madame,  and  do  not  speculate." 

Again  Fanny  paused,  to  heave  a  tremendous  sigh,  then 
read  on : 

"  But,  madame,  do  not  fear  that  I  leave  you  burdened 
with  debts ;  I  have  met  all  my  obligations ;  I  have  paid 
everything,  and  my  name  will  remain  without  blemish, 
at  all  events.  You  can  bear  it  without  a  blush." 

The  young  woman  made  a  slight  movement  of  the 
shoulders,  which  seemed  to  indicate  that  she  was  not 
overjoyed  because  her  husband  had  paid  all  his  debts ; 
she  even  muttered  between  her  teeth : 

"That's  a  valuable  thing  for  him  to  leave  me — his 
name!  and  nothing  with  it!  Ah!  there's  something  more 
written  here." 

"  I  have  not  touched  your  dot ;  you  will  find  it  intact 
in  the  notary's  hands.  With  what  you  obtain  from  the 
sale  of  our  furniture,  which  is  very  handsome,  and  our 
horses  and  carriages,  you  will  have  enough  to  live  in  a 
modest  way.  Adieu,  Fanny ;  be  happy !  I  cannot  be 
happy  again  in  this  world,  and  that  is  why  I  leave  it; 
adieu ! " 

The  last  paragraph  seemed  to  have  soothed  Fanny's 
despair  in  some  measure ;  however,  she  covered  her  eyes 
with  her  handkerchief,  and  held  it  so  for  some  time. 
Cherami,  who  had  watched  her  closely  while  she  read 
her  husband's  letter,  said  to  himself  at  that  proceeding : 


266  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Oh !  it's  of  no  use  for  you  to  put  your  handkerchief 
to  your  eyes ;  I'll  bet  that  you're  not  crying ;  and  yet — 
a  young  husband — to  lose  him  like  that,  and  after  hardly 
six  months  of  married  life !    There  are  some  women  who 
would  have  fainted  ;  but  she's  a  strong  one !  " 
Thereupon  he  rose  and  took  up  his  hat,  saying : 
"  Madame,  I  have  carried  out  the  melancholy  commis- 
sion which  your  husband  intrusted  to  me.    As  I  imagine 
that  my  presence  is  no  longer  necessary,  I  will  retire." 


XXXVII 

A  WEAK  WOMAN 

Fanny  hastily  uncovered  her  face. 

"  Pardon  me,  monsieur,"  she  said ;  "  but  as  you  were 
kind  enough  to  carry  out  Monsieur  Monleard's  last 
wishes,  may  I  hope  that  you  will  show  yourself  equally 
obliging  to  his  widow  ?  " 

"  I  will  do  whatever  you  bid  me,  madame,  too  happy 
to  be  able  to  be  of  some  service  to  you  as  well  as  to 
him." 

"Thanks  a  thousand  times,  monsieur!  You  know  now 
the  position  in  which  I  stand.  It  seems  to  you,  perhaps, 
that  I  have  taken  very  coolly  the  calamity  which  has 
come  upon  me  ?  " 

"  Madame,  I  do  not  presume  to  pass  judgment  upon 
your  feelings." 

"  But  put  yourself  in  my  place,  monsieur ;  do  you  think 
that  I  can  take  as  a  proof  of  affection  what  my  husband 
has  done  ?  " 


A    WEAK  WOMAN  267 

"Dame!  a  proof  of  affection!"  said  Cherami  to  him- 
self, scratching  his  nose. — "  But,  madame,  if  he  feared 
that  he  should  no  longer  be  able  to  make  you  happy, 
if  that  thought  made  him  lose  his  head " 

"At  Monsieur  Monleard's  age,  monsieur,  a  man  should 
have  strength  of  mind,  courage.  People  lose  their  fortunes 
every  day ;  but  when  a  man  is  intelligent  and  persevering, 
he  makes  another." 

"  It  may  be  that  that's  not  so  easy  as  you  seem  to 
think,  madame.  I,  too,  had  a  very  neat  fortune  once ;  I 
ran  through  it ;  which,  to  my  mind,  is  much  better  than 
gambling  it  away ;  it  leaves  sweeter-smelling  memories ; 
but  I  have  never  been  able  to  get  rich  again." 

"  Monsieur  Monleard  finds  fault  with  me ;  he  says 
now  that  I  care  for  nothing  but  pleasure;  but,  when 
he  sought  my  hand,  monsieur,  why  did  he  fascinate 
me  by  the  prospect  of  a  life  of  luxury  and  fetes,  of 
splendid  equipages  and  magnificent  gowns  ?  in  short, 
of  all  the  things  which  will  always  make  a  girl's  heart 
beat  fast?  He  married  me  from  caprice,  and  when 
that  caprice  was  gratified  he  was  sorry  he  had  mar- 
ried. Oh  !  I  saw  that  more  than  once,  and  that  is  why, 
monsieur,  I  bear  up  so  bravely  under  the  news  you  have 
brought  me." 

"  You  had  no  need  to  tell  me  all  this,  madame ;  but  I 
do  not  see " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon !  this  is  what  I  ask  you  to  do. 
In  my  present  position,  you  can  easily  understand  that 
I  must  see  my  father  and  sister;  but  I  do  not  wish  to 
go  to  them,  or  to  be  compelled  to  tell  them  of  this  fatal 
event" 

"  I  understand,  madame :  you  wish  me  to  undertake  to 
tell  them  of  what  has  happened  ?  " 


268  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  Oh !  monsieur,  if  it  would  not  be  too  great  an  abuse 
of  your  good-nature." 

"  I  will  go  to  your  father's  house,  madame.  Mon  Dieu ! 
while  I  am  in  the  way  of  doing  errands,  it  won't  cost  me 
any  more." 

"  Ah  !  monsieur,  how  kind  you  are !  how  grateful  I 
am  to  you  ! " 

"  I  have  always  been  at  the  service  of  the  ladies. 
Monsieur  Gerbault's  address,  if  you  please  ?  " 

"  Ah !  you  know  my  father's  name  ?  " 

"  Yes,  madame.  Indeed,  there  are  many  things  that 
I  know ;  but  I  won't  tell  you  them  at  this  moment." 

"  Here  is  my  father's  address." 

"  Very  good ;  I  will  go  there  at  once,  madame.  If 
I  can  be  of  any  further  use  to  you,  command  me; 
Arthur  Cherami,  Hotel  du  Bel-Air,  Rue  de  I'Orillon, 
Belleville — but  prepay  your  letters.  I  present  my  re- 
spects, madame." 

"  I  am  a  sort  of  dead  man's  messenger  just  now,"  said 
Cherami  to  himself,  as  he  went  away ;  "  but,  after  all,  I 
couldn't  refuse  that  young  woman ;  she's  so  pretty,  and 
she's  no  fool ;  far  from  it!  Ah !  I  can  understand  how  she 
bewitched  Gustave.  Never  mind ;  for  my  part,  I  prefer 
a  weak  woman  to  a  strong  one." 

Monsieur  Gerbault  was  at  home,  and  with  his  daughter, 
when  Cherami  made  his  appearance.  Fanny's  father,  who 
had  never  seen  his  visitor,  offered  him  a  chair,  and  waited 
for  him  to  explain  the  object  of  his  visit.  But  Adol- 
phine,  as  soon  as  he  entered  the  room,  recognized 
Cherami  as  the  person  who  had  dined  with  Gustave  on 
the  day  of  her  sister's  wedding;  and  Cherami,  on  his 
side,  bestowed  a  graceful  salutation  upon  the  young  lady, 
as  upon  a  person  whom  he  had  met  before. 


A    WEAK  WOMAN  269 

"  Do  you  know  my  daughter  Adolphine,  monsieur  ?  " 
inquired  Monsieur  Gerbault,  in  surprise. 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  made- 
moiselle on  the  day  of  your  other  daughter's  wedding. 
I  dined  at  Deffieux's  that  day,  with  someone  who  is  not 
a  stranger  to  you." 

"  Monsieur  is  a  friend  of  Gustave,"  interposed  Adol- 
phine, hastily.  Monsieur  Gerbault  frowned  slightly,  for 
he  remembered  being  told  that  it  was  with  a  friend  of 
Gustave  that  his  son-in-law  had  fought  a  duel  on  the 
day  after  his  wedding ;  however,  he  confined  himself  to 
saying,  in  rather  a  sharp  tone  : 

"  I  am  waiting  for  monsieur  to  be  good  enough  to  let 
us  know  the  object  of  his  visit." 

The  decidedly  unamiable  manner  in  which  Monsieur 
Gerbault  said  these  words  began  to  irritate  Cherami, 
who  threw  himself  back  in  his  chair,  crying : 

"  Faith !  my  dear  monsieur,  if  you  think  I  came  here 
to  amuse  myself,  you're  most  miserably  mistaken ;  my 
errand  isn't  a  very  agreeable  one,  at  best." 

"  Monsieur,  I  beg  you  to " 

"  Ah !  but,  you  see,  you  assumed  an  air  which — look 
you !  that  air  of  yours  doesn't  suit  me  at  all,  and  if  you 
were  not  this  charming  young  lady's  father,  I'd  have 
demanded  satisfaction  before  this." 

"  Oh  !  monsieur,  for  heaven's  sake  !  "  exclaimed  Adol- 
phine, clasping  her  hands ;  "  father  didn't  mean  to  offend 
you." 

"Your  father  looked  like  a  bulldog,  mademoiselle, 
when  you  said  that  I  was  a  friend  of  Gustave.  Why 
was  that  ?  am  I  a  friend  to  be  despised,  I  pray  to  know  ? 
Friends  like  me,  always  ready  to  risk  their  lives  in  order 
to  prove  their  devotion,  don't  grow  on  every  bush,  I  beg 


270  MONSIEUR    CHER  AMI 

you  to  believe.  But  here  I  am  losing  my  temper,  and 
I  am  wrong.  I  will  tell  you  in  a  word  what  brings  me 
here;  it's  no  use  to  put  on  gloves.  I  come  to  inform 
you  of  the  death  of  a  young  man  of  your  acquaintance." 

"  O  mon  Dieu  !  Gustave  is  dead  !  "  shrieked  Adol- 
phine,  and  fell  back  unconscious,  while  a  ghastly  pallor 
overspread  her  features. 

"  My  child  !  my  child  !  what  is  it,  in  God's  name  ?  " 
cried  Monsieur  Gerbault,  trying  to  revive  Adolphine ; 
but  she  did  not  open  her  eyes. 

Madeleine  was  summoned,  and  brought  salts  and  vin- 
egar. They  carried  the  girl  to  an  open  window,  while 
Cherami  exclaimed : 

"  No,  no ;  it  isn't  Gustave  who's  dead. — Poor  girl !  on 
my  word,  I  was  far  from  anticipating  this.  And  it's 
because  she  thought  Gustave  was  dead  that  she  fainted. 
Well !  well !  well !  Ah  !  the  color's  coming  back  a  little ; 
it  will  amount  to  nothing.  See  !  she's  opening  her  eyes  ; 
I  will  bring  her  back  to  life  entirely." 

He  stooped  over  Adolphine,  who  was  gazing  listlessly 
about,  and  said : 

"  Let  me  set  your  mind  at  rest,  mademoiselle ;  it's  not 
Gustave  who  is  dead ;  I  wasn't  talking  about  Castor" 

"  Is  that  true,  monsieur  ?  "  she  cried  eagerly. 

"  I  swear  it  by  your  head — and  I  wouldn't  for  the 
world  endanger  such  a  charming  head ! " 

"  Pray  explain  yourself  then,  monsieur ! "  said  Mon- 
sieur Gerbault ;  "  of  whose  death  did  you  come  to 
tell  us?" 

"  Of  your  son-in-law,  Auguste  Monleard's ;  he  died 
about  two  o'clock  to-day,  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne." 

At  that,  it  was  Monsieur  Gerbault's  turn  to  fly  into  a 
rage,  and  he  strode  toward  Cherami,  saying: 


A    WEAK  WOMAN  271 

"  Ah !  you  have  killed  him  this  time,  shameless  villain, 
and  you  come  in  person  to  announce  his  death !  And 
you  are  not  ashamed  of  your  victory !  One  duel  was 
not  enough ;  you  were  bent  on  having  his  life  !  " 

"  Ta !  ta  !  ta !  now  it's  papa's  turn.  Deuce  take  it ! 
where  did  I  ever  get  fathers  and  uncles  of  this  breed  ? 
— No,  monsieur ;  I  didn't  kill  your  son-in-law ;  he  killed 
himself;  and,  to  speak  frankly,  it  would  have  been 
much  better  for  him  to  have  met  his  death  in  the  duel 
we  fought;  for  it  would  have  been  a  more  honorable 
end.  However,  I  will  show  you  the  proofs  of  what  I 
state ;  for  you  are  quite  capable  of  not  believing  me : 
I  expected  as  much ;  but  you  will  have  to  surrender  to 
the  evidence." 

Cherami  handed  Monsieur  Gerbault  the  letter  Auguste 
had  written  him,  then  told  him  all  that  we  know  already : 
what  had  happened  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne,  and  his 
visit  to  Fanny.  During  his  narrative,  Adolphine  wept 
profusely,  murmuring : 

"Poor  Auguste!    Oh,  dear!  how  my  sister  must  suffer!" 

The  news  of  the  suicide  affected  Monsieur  Gerbault 
deeply,  although  officious  friends  had  already  told  him 
that  Monleard  was  speculating  heavily,  and  in  such 
wise  as  to  risk  his  fortune.  He  attempted,  thereupon, 
to  apologize  to  Cherami  for  the  suspicions  he  had  con- 
ceived ;  but  Cherami  offered  his  hand,  saying : 

"  Put  it  there,  and  let's  say  no  more  about  it.  You 
are  quick,  so  am  I ;  besides,  when  one  learns  of  such  an 
entirely  unforeseen  catastrophe,  one  has  the  right  to  get 
a  little  bewildered.  Now  that  I  have  performed  all  the 
commissions  that  were  intrusted  to  me,  you  have  no 
further  need  of  me,  and  I  will  go.  Adieu,  Papa  Ger- 
bault !  Mademoiselle,  your  servant !  " 


272  MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 

As  Adolphine  accompanied  him  to  the  door,  he  seized 
the  opportunity  to  ask  her  in  an  undertone : 
"  Do  you  know  where  Gustave  is  ?  " 
"  No,  monsieur ;  but,  I  think,  in  Germany." 
"  I  will  unearth  him,  never  fear ;  I  have  my  cue ! " 


XXXVIII 

THE  TWO  SISTERS 

A  fortnight  after  her  husband's  death,  Fanny  was  in- 
stalled in  small  and  unpretentious  apartments  in  the 
upper  part  of  Faubourg  Poissonniere.  With  her  dowry 
of  twenty  thousand  francs,  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of 
her  furniture,  horses,  and  carriages,  and  the  sum  which 
she  had  made  by  speculating  in  railway  and  other  shares, 
the  young  widow  had  an  income  of  about  twenty-five 
hundred  francs.  That  was  very  little,  when  compared 
with  the  handsome  fortune  she  had  enjoyed  for  a  mo- 
ment, but  it  was  enough  to  enable  a  woman  who  was 
a  skilful  manager  to  live  comfortably.  Monsieur  Ger- 
bault  had  suggested  to  the  young  widow  that  she  should 
come  to  live  with  him  and  her  sister,  as  she  had  done  be- 
fore her  marriage,  but  Fanny  had  refused ;  she  preferred 
to  remain  free;  and  then,  too,  in  all  probability,  she 
cherished  some  hopes  for  the  future,  and  as  she  looked 
at  her  reflection  in  her  mirror, — for  she  had  retained 
enough  of  her  furniture  to  furnish  her  new  abode  hand- 
somely,— the  pretty  creature  said  to  herself  that  plenty  of 
aspirants  to  the  honor  of  putting  an  end  to  her  widow- 
hood would  surely  come  forward;  and  that,  by  living 


THE    TWO  SISTERS  273 

alone,  she  would  be  more  at  liberty  and  better  able  to 
choose. 

As  for  the  deceased,  his  suicide  had  been  the  sensa- 
tion of  the  Bourse  and  of  society  for  a  week ;  a  fortnight 
later,  it  was  rarely  mentioned,  and  at  the  end  of  a  month 
everybody  had  forgotten  it. 

But,  no :  there  was  one  person  who  often  thought  of 
him,  to  deplore  his  melancholy  end,  to  regret  that  for- 
tune had  been  so  cruel  to  that  young  man,  who,  for  his 
part,  had  treated  fortune  too  cavalierly  when  she  smiled 
on  him.  That  person  was  not  his  widow,  but  her  sister 
Adolphine.  The  poor  child  had  at  first  felt  terribly 
ashamed  because  she  had  betrayed  the  deep  interest 
she  felt  in  Gustave;  but  she  was  unable  to  control  the 
emotion  which  had  seized  her  when  she  thought  that 
Cherami  had  come  to  inform  her  of  his  death.  Later, 
when  she  knew  the  truth,  she  had  wept  a  long  while 
over  Auguste's  death ;  then  she  had  hurried  to  her  sister, 
to  comfort  her,  to  mingle  her  own  tears  with  hers ;  but 
she  had  found  Fanny  much  more  engrossed  by  her  pecun- 
iary affairs  than  by  the  loss  of  her  husband.  Finally, 
as  the  young  widow  found  that  her  sister  came  to  see 
her  every  day,  and  that  she  persisted  in  talking  about 
Auguste  and  shedding  abundant  tears  to  his  memory, 
she  said  to  her  one  day: 

"  My  dear  girl,  if  your  purpose  in  coming  here  is  to 
divert  my  thoughts,  you  go  about  it  very  awkwardly. 
Monsieur  Monleard  is  dead,  because  he  preferred  it  so ; 
he  left  me,  because  he  chose  to,  without  troubling  him- 
self overmuch  as  to  what  was  to  become  of  me ;  frankly, 
it  was  hardly  worth  while  to  marry  me,  just  to  act  like 
this  after  only  six  months.  He  was  responsible  for  my 
refusing  a  young  man  who,  as  it  turns  out,  would  have 


274  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

made  me  much  happier — that  poor  Gustave,  who  loved 
me  so  dearly !  For  he  really  did  love  me,  did  Gustave, 
and,  according  to  what  you  told  me  the  other  day,  he 
is  doing  very  well  indeed  now.  Ten  thousand  francs  a 
year,  he  earns,  I  believe  ?  " 

Adolphine  wiped  her  eyes  and  swallowed  her  tears,  as 
she  replied  in  a  faltering  voice : 

"Yes— I  think  so." 

"What!  you  think  so?  So  you're  not  sure  of  it 
now  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes ;  he  told  me  so  himself." 

"  Very  good !  with  ten  thousand  francs  one  can  live 
comfortably  enough.  One  can't  have  such  a  stable  as  I 
had  with  Monsieur  Monleard;  but  it's  better  never  to 
have  a  carriage  than  to  have  to  give  it  up.  In  fact,  I 
don't  see  why  I  should  ciy  my  eyes  out  for  the  dead 
man.  In  the  first  place,  I  despise  men  who  kill  them- 
selves ;  everyone  is  entitled  to  his  own  opinion,  but  that's 
mine.  A  man  should  be  able  to  endure  the  blows  of 
destiny.  Do  you  know  where  Gustave  is  now  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't ;  he  intended  to  leave  Paris  again." 

"  That's  strange.  Formerly,  he  always  told  you  where 
he  was  going ;  and  now  that  I  ask  you,  you  don't  know 
anything  about  him." 

"  He  said  something  about  Germany,  that's  all  I  know." 

"  On  his  uncle's  business,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  I  think  so." 

"  Well,  people  don't  travel  forever ;  he'll  return  some 
time,  poor  Gustave !  and  we  shall  meet  again.  Ah !  he 
had  changed  tremendously  for  the  better  when  he  came 
back  from  Spain ;  he  had  acquired  ease  of  manner  and 
refinement,  hadn't  he  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  notice." 


THE    TWO  SISTERS  275 

"  Oh !  how  angry  you  make  me ! — It  seems  to  me, 
however,  that  it's  more  interesting  to  talk  about  the  living 
than  the  dead." 

"  Everybody  isn't  consoled  as  quickly  as  you." 

"  Do  you  propose  to  give  me  a  lecture  ?  " 

"No,  sister;  I  meant  simply  that  anyone  was  very 
fortunate  to  have  such  a  temperament  as  yours." 

"  My  dear  Adolphine,  I  have  been  a  widow  two  months 
now,  and  I  know  a  little  something  of  the  world.  When 
you  have  had  as  much  experience  as  I  have,  you  will 
realize  that  you  should  be  able  to  find  consolation  for 
anything." 

"  I  don't  think  I  shall  ever  be  as  philosophical  as  you." 

Whenever  the  two  sisters  met,  Fanny  did  not  fail  to 
lead  the  conversation  to  the  subject  of  Gustave.  That 
subject,  although  intensely  interesting  to  Adolphine,  was 
very  painful  to  her  when  Fanny  introduced  it ;  but,  being 
accustomed  by  long  practice  to  conceal  the  secrets  of 
her  heart,  to  confine  therein  a  sentiment  which  she  dared 
not  avow  to  anyone,  Fanny's  younger  sister  contrived 
to  listen  with  apparent  indifference  to  the  project  which 
Auguste's  widow  already  had  in  contemplation. 

One  day,  while  talking  with  Adolphine,  Fanny  sud- 
denly asked : 

"  By  the  way,  do  you  know  who  that  man  was  whom 
Monsieur  Monleard  employed  to  inform  me  of  his  death  ? 
I  never  saw  him  at  the  house,  and  yet  Auguste  must 
have  been  intimately  acquainted  with  him  to  intrust  him 
with  such  a  commission." 

"  That  was  Monsieur  Cherami." 

"  Yes,  that's  the  name  he  gave  me  when  he  left  his  ad- 
dress and  offered  me  his  services.  He  has  a  most  original 
aspect,  that  individual.  But  who  is  Monsieur  Cherami, 


276  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM! 

anyway  ?  When  I  asked  him  to  go  to  tell  you,  he  seemed 
to  know  father's  name." 

"  Indeed !  he  probably  learned  it  from  Gustave." 

"  Does  the  man  know  Gustave  too  ?  For  heaven's 
sake,  does  he  know  everybody?  Was  it  through  Gus- 
tave that  he  knew  my  husband,  also  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  in  a  certain  sense ;  for " 

"  For  what  ?  Do  go  on,  Adolphine ;  I  don't  know 
what's  the  matter  with  you  nowadays,  but  I  have  to  tear 
the  words  out  of  your  mouth." 

"  I  thought  you  knew  about  it  at  the  time.  Your 
husband  fought  a  duel  the  day  after  your  wedding." 

"  I  know  all  about  that ;  with  a  fellow  who  called  out, 
when  I  left  the  ball  that  night :  '  There  goes  the  faithless 
Fanny ! ' — Mon  Dieu  !  I  remember  it  as  well  as  if  it  were 
yesterday.  But  what  connection " 

"The  man  who  made  that  remark  when  he  saw  you 
leaving  the  ball  was  Monsieur  Cherami." 

"  That  man  ?  nonsense  !  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  it 
was  he  whom  my  husband  fought  with  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  really  was." 

"  Ha !  ha !  ha !  that  is  too  funny !  " 

"  What !  you  laugh  ?  " 

"  Why  shouldn't  I  laugh,  pray  ?  Ah !  how  little  idea 
men  have  of  what  they  want,  and  how  richly  they  de- 
serve, as  a  general  rule,  that  we  should  make  sport  of 
their  mighty  wrath  !  Think  of  it !  Monsieur  Monleard 
fights  a  duel  with  Monsieur  Cherami,  and,  a  few  weeks 
later,  selects  him  as  the  confidant  of  his  last  wishes ! 
You  see  that  men  don't  know  what  they  are  doing,  and 
that  these  lords  of  creation,  who  assume  to  deem  them- 
selves much  more  reasonable  than  we,  are  infinitely 
less  so." 


THE    TWO  SISTERS  277 

"There  may  have  been  other  reasons  that  we  don't 
know  about." 

"  Oh  !  you  will  always  take  sides  with  the  men !  " 

"  Why  accuse  those  who  are  no  longer  able  to  defend 
themselves  ?  " 

"  Oh !  that  is  a  superb  retort ;  but,  I  may  ask,  why 
give  the  dead  credit  for  qualities  which  they  had  not 
when  they  were  alive  ?  I  have  heard  that  done  a  hun- 
dred times  in  society.  There  was  some  artist  or  author, 
of  whom  they  said  things  much  too  bad  for  hanging : 
he  was  ill-natured,  envious ;  he  decried  his  fellows,  he 
had  neither  talent,  nor  style,  nor  imagination.  But,  let 
him  die — the  same  people  all  sang  the  palinode :  the  de- 
ceased was  a  most  delightful  man,  kind-hearted,  obliging 
to  his  fellow  artists,  full  of  talent,  gifted  with  a  marvel- 
lous imagination.  How  many  times  I  have  heard  all 
that !  and  I  used  to  shrug  my  shoulders  in  pitying 
contempt,  thinking :  '  For  heaven's  sake,  messieurs,  do 
at  least  try  to  remember  to-day  what  you  said  yester- 
day ! ' — But  I  would  like  right  well  to  know  why  this 
Monsieur  Cherami  called  me  '  the  faithless  Fanny.'  Do 
you  know,  Adolphine,  you,  who  know  so  many  things 
without  seeming  to?" 

Adolphine  blushed,  as  she  replied : 

"  That  gentleman  dined  with  Gustave  at  the  restaurant 
where  you  gave  your  wedding  supper  and  ball.  Gustave, 
in  all  probability,  told  him  of  his  love  and  his  disappoint- 
ment; and  then  Monsieur  Grandcourt,  Gustave's  uncle, 
came  there  after  his  nephew  and  took  him  away.  Mon- 
sieur Cherami  stayed  at  the  restaurant,  and  it  seems  that 
he  was  a  little  tipsy." 

"And  in  his  devotion  to  his  friend,  he  reproached  me 
for  my  perfidy !  Ah  !  that  was  very  well  done  !  To  fight 


278  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

to  avenge  one's  friend  is  a  deed  worthy  of  the  knights 
of  old.  When  I  see  Monsieur  Cherami  again,  I  will  offer 
him  my  compliments." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  bear  him  no  ill-will  for  calling 
you  faithless  ?  " 

"  Oh !  not  the  least  in  the  world !  If  women  lost  their 
tempers  every  time  they  were  called  faithless,  they  would 
spend  most  of  their  time  in  anger." 

While  interviews  of  this  sort  were  constantly  taking 
place  between  the  two  sisters,  both  of  whom  were  en- 
grossed by  the  same  thought,  although  one  was  com- 
pelled to  stifle  her  sighs,  while  the  other  made  no  secret 
of  her  hopes,  a  certain  person  was  taking  much  pains  to 
bring  back  to  them  the  subject  which  interested  them 
so  deeply.  The  reader  will  have  guessed  that  we  refer  to 
Cherami. 


XXXIX 

THE  HUNT  FOR  THE  FEATHER-MAKERS 

After  Auguste's  death,  the  ex-Beau  Arthur  had  re- 
flected thus : 

"  I  must  wait  until  a  few  weeks  have  passed ;  it 
wouldn't  be  decent  for  my  lovelorn  Gustave  to  return 
at  once  and  throw  himself  at  the  pretty  widow's  feet; 
non  est  hie  locus  ;  it  isn't  always  best  to  take  active  steps ; 
in  order  that  they  may  succeed,  they  must  be  taken  at 
the  opportune  moment.  I  still  have  some  debris  of  the 
five  hundred  francs  my  dear  friend  loaned  me,  and  I 
have  the  change  of  the  hundred-franc  note  which  poor 


THE  HUNT  FOR   THE  FEATHER-MAKERS         279 

Monleard  left  me  to  pay  for  the  breakfast,  which  cost 
only  seventeen  francs  fifty.  With  that,  and  with  a  passa- 
bly pretty  switch,  and  a  passably  decent  costume,  one 
can  enjoy  this  paltry  life  of  ours  to  some  slight  extent. 
Gad !  at  this  moment  I  should  be  very  glad  to  meet 
those  two  grisettes  whom  I  saw  one  day  at  an  omnibus 
office  at  Porte  Saint- Martin.  Parbleu !  the  same  day  I 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Gustave.  They  were  both 
pretty — one  was  a  brunette,  the  other  a  blonde — one 
plump  and  one  thin — a  morsel  for  an  attorney;  and, 
judging  from  appearances,  one  bright  and  one  stupid. 
Their  names  were  Laurette  and  Lucie,  and  they  were 
feather-girls  on  Rue  Saint-Denis.  I  have  never  met  them 
since.  Par  la  sambleu  !  it's  my  fault,  I'm  a  jackass !  I 
had  only  to  go  into  all  the  feather-shops  on  Rue  Saint- 
Denis — to  tell  the  truth,  I  haven't  always  been  in  a  posi- 
tion to  play  the  gallant  with  young  ladies — to  invite 
them  to  the  play  and  to  supper,  and  I  can't  do  anything 
less  than  that  by  way  of  renewing  the  acquaintance. 
But,  now  that  I'm  in  funds,  what  prevents  me  from  look- 
ing them  up?  That  idea  smiles  upon  me.  It  reminds 
me  of  happy  days. — My  mind  is  made  up  :  before  I  begin 
my  search  for  Gustave,  I  will  go  in  quest  of  Laurette 
and  Lucie ;  this  very  evening,  after  dinner,  I  will  try  my 
hand  at  hunting  the  feather-girls." 

Cherami  dined,  and  acquitted  himself  of  the  task  like 
one  who  had  not  breakfasted  twice.  Then,  his  head 
being  a  little  heated  by  the  fumes  of  a  bottle  of  old 
Pommard,  he  betook  himself  to  Rue  Saint-Denis,  look- 
ing to  right  and  left  in  quest  of  feather-shops.  He  did 
not  go  far  without  discovering  one.  He  opened  the  door 
and  entered  with  a  haughty  air,  scrutinizing  all  the  young 
women  in  the  establishment. 


28o  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

The  forewoman  eyed  the  individual  who  had  struck 
an  attitude  a  la  Spartacus  in  the  centre  of  the  shop, 
where  he  stared  at  one  after  another  without  speaking, 
and  said  to  him : 

"  Will  monsieur  kindly  tell  us  what  he  would  like  ?  " 

Cherami,  having  taken  time  enough  to  examine  all  the 
shopgirls,  of  whom  there  were  ten  or  twelve,  replied  in  a 
drawling  tone : 

"  A  thousand  pardons,  madame ;  I  did  come  in  here  in 
search  of  something ;  there  is  no  doubt  of  that ;  but  I 
don't  see  what  I  want ;  no,  I  don't  see  it." 

"  If  monsieur  will  tell  me  what  he  desires,  I  can  tell 
him  at  once  whether  he  will  find  it  here." 

"  Very  good,  madame ;  I  am  looking  for  children's 
caps — for  a  little  boy  of  five." 

All  the  girls  in  the  shop  laughed  aloud ;  but  the  fore- 
woman assumed  a  sour  expression  as  she  rejoined : 

"  Did  monsieur  take  this  for  a  hat-shop  ?  " 

"  Have  I  made  a  mistake  ?  Oh !  I  beg  your  pardon ; 
I  am  distressed ;  it  was  all  these  feathers  that  misled  me ; 
they  put  so  many  feathers  on  hats  nowadays.  Accept 
my  apologies,  madame ;  your  humble  servant." 

Having  executed  a  graceful  bow,  Cherami  left  the  shop, 
saying  to  himself: 

"  That's  one ;  I  did  that  very  well ;  it  wasn't  a  bit  bad. 
My  two  young  friends  are  not  there.  Let's  try  another." 

A  little  farther  on,  he  saw  another  establishment  for 
the  sale  of  flowers  and  feathers.  He  entered  as  before, 
and  struck  the  same  attitude. 

"  We  are  waiting  for  monsieur  to  say  what  he  wants," 
said  an  old  woman. 

"  Mon  Dieu !  madame,"  said  Cherami,  examining  the 
girls,  of  whom  there  were  not  so  many  as  in  the  first 


THE  HUNT  FOR    THE  FEATHER-MAKERS         281 

shop,  "  I  would  like — I  wanted  a  coat,  either  blue  or 
black,  but  made  in  the  latest  style,  and,  above  all  things, 
becoming  to  me.  I  don't  care  for  the  price,  but  I  am 
particular  about  being  well  dressed." 

"  You  are  not  in  a  tailor's  shop,  monsieur ! "  retorted 
the  old  woman  superciliously,  while  the  workgirls  ex- 
changed glances  and  laughed  till  they  cried. 

But  the  old  woman  bade  them  be  silent,  and  added : 

"  Apparently  you  didn't  look  to  see  what  we  keep  here, 
monsieur  ?  " 

"  What !  am  I  not  in  a  shop  of  outfitters  for  both  sexes  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  we  sell  only  flowers  and  feathers." 

"  Oh  !  a  thousand  pardons,  madame ;  but  your  shop 
has  a  sort  of  resemblance  to  the  Magasin  du  Prophete. 
It  isn't  so  brightly  lighted,  I  agree;  but  these  flowers, 
these  wreaths — it's  all  so  pretty !  and,  in  Paris,  outfitters' 
shops  look  like  stage  decorations. — Accept  my  apologies, 
madame." 

"  Two ! "  said  Cherami,  when  he  was  in  the  street  once 
more.  "  My  pretty  grisettes  are  not  there  either.  Pa- 
tience !  we  shall  find  them  at  last.  Ah !  I  see  another 
feather-shop ;  they  fairly  swarm  in  this  street.  Forward ! " 

In  the  third  shop,  Cherami  asked  for  shirts,  while  pass- 
ing in  review  the  workgirls  and  apprentices,  without 
finding  those  whom  he  sought.  He  succeeded,  as  before, 
in  making  the  young  women  laugh  and  in  obtaining  a 
tart  response  from  the  mistress  of  the  place. 

In  the  fourth  shop,  after  staring  about  for  some  time, 
Cherami  exclaimed : 

"  I  don't  see  any ;  this  is  very  strange ;  I  don't  see  any, 
and  yet  I  was  certain  that  I  saw  several  in  the  window." 

"  Will  monsieur  kindly  tell  us  what  he  desires  ?  "  said 
the  forewoman. 


282  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  I  want  to  buy  a  Bayonne  ham,  madame ;  the  best 
you  have." 

This  time  the  laughter  was  general,  and  the  mistress 
shared  the  merriment  of  her  workgirls ;  so  that  Cherami 
had  an  opportunity  to  examine  them  at  his  leisure.  At 
last,  when  the  hilarity  had  subsided  somewhat,  the  fore- 
woman, still  smiling,  said  to  him : 

"  We  don't  sell  hams  here,  monsieur ;  pray,  what  sort 
of  a  place  did  you  take  this  for  ?  " 

"  Oh !  a  thousand  pardons,  madame ;  isn't  this  a  pro- 
vision shop  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  it's  a  flower  and  feather  shop." 

"  Ah  !  I  am  a  miserable  wretch !  But  let  me  tell  you 
what  misled  me :  it  was  the  birds  that  I  saw  in  the  win- 
dow. I  said  to  myself:  'That's  game;  therefore,  they 
sell  provisions.'  " 

"  Those  are  birds-of-paradise  that  you  saw,  monsieur ; 
they're  used  to  put  on  ladies'  hats,  but  not  to  eat." 

"  Birds-of-paradise !  Pardon  me,  but  they  are  in  para- 
dise, in  very  truth,  since  they  live  under  the  same  roof 
with  such  charming  ladies !  I  renew  my  apologies,  and 
beg  you  to  accept  my  respects." 

Cherami  left  the  fourth  shop,  saying  to  himself: 

"They  are  not  there  either;  I  shan't  have  my  cue 
this  evening.  This  is  enough  for  to-day ;  but  I  am  well 
pleased  with  the  effect  I  produced  in  that  last  place : 
they  all  laughed,  even  the  mistress  herself  laughed  like  a 
madwoman !  It  was  very  amusing  to  see  the  gayety  on 
all  those  female  faces — and  all  because  I  asked  for  a  ham ! 
After  all,  a  ham  was  more  absurd  than  a  coat,  shirts,  or 
children's  caps !  Well,  to-morrow  I  must  ask  for  some- 
thing even  more  absurd.  Oh !  I  shall  think  up  something; 
I'm  never  at  a  loss.  Meanwhile,  let's  go  and  have  a  game 


THE  HUNT  FOR    THE  FEATHER-MAKERS         283 

of  pool  at  the  usual  place.  When  my  pocket  is  well 
lined,  I  play  superbly,  I  handle  my  cue  magnificently. 
I  am  sure  of  winning,  according  to  the  proverb :  '  Water 
keeps  flowing  to  the  river.'  " 

The  next  day,  after  dinner,  Cherami  returned  to  Rue 
Saint-Denis,  saying  to  himself: 

"  I  know  how  far  I  went  yesterday,  and  where  I  must 
begin  to-day.  I  have  something  very  amusing  to  ask  for. 
How  I'll  make  them  laugh !  Oh !  I  propose  that  not  even 
the  forewomen  shall  succeed  in  keeping  a  serious  face. 
They  will  fancy  they're  at  the  Palais-Royal  when  Grassot 
plays  La  Garde-Malade,  or  Le  Vieux  Loup  de  Mer" 

But,  since  the  preceding  night,  certain  things  had  hap- 
pened in  Rue  Saint-Denis  which  our  grisette-hunter  could 
not  divine. 

In  a  quarter  so  wholly  given  over  to  business,  there 
are  brokers  and  under-clerks  who  go  about  almost  every 
morning  inquiring  as  to  the  course  of  prices,  articles 
most  in  demand,  etc. ;  this  is  commonly  called  faire  la 
place.  Now,  when  one  of  these  brokers  entered  a  certain 
feather-shop,  the  girls  asked  him  laughingly : 

"  Have  you  brought  us  some  children's  caps  ?  we  had 
a  call  for  some  last  night." 

"  Caps  ?  you  are  joking ! " 

"No,  indeed!" 

And  thereupon  they  told  him  about  their  customer  of 
the  night  before.  The  story  made  the  broker  laugh,  and 
that  was  the  end  of  it.  But  at  another  shop  they  told 
him  about  a  man  who  had  wanted  to  buy  a  coat. 

"  This  is  a  strange  thing ! "  he  exclaimed ;  "  over  yonder, 
somebody  asked  for  a  child's  cap.  Can  it  be  the  same 
man  ?  " 

At  that,  the  proprietor's  interest  was  aroused. 


284  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  I  must  go  to  see  my  confreres,  and  find  out  whether 
they  also  saw  this  person." 

"That  is  right,"  said  the  broker;  "we  must  go  to 
the  bottom  of  this;  for  it  seems  to  me  as  if  someone 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  play  a  practical  joke  on  you. 
I'll  go  with  you." 

They  soon  learned  that  Cherami  had  visited  four  shops ; 
but  they  also  satisfied  themselves  that  he  had  been  to  no 
more.  The  dealers  in  feathers  took  counsel  together, 
and  those  who  had  not  received  a  call  from  the  jocose 
gentleman  said  to  one  another : 

"  Perhaps  the  fellow  will  begin  again  to-morrow  night ; 
we  must  prepare  to  give  him  a  warm  reception." 

The  tradesmen,  at  whose  establishments  he  had  asked 
for  caps,  a  coat,  shirts,  and  a  ham,  said  to  their  confreres  : 

"Allow  us  to  come  to  your  shops  to-night  and  wait  for 
this  man,  so  that  we  can  have  our  share  in  the  reception 
you  propose  to  give  him." 

Everything  being  agreed  upon,  in  the  evening  they 
divided  up  into  groups  and  waited  impatiently  for  the 
party  of  the  night  before  to  appear. 

Our  hunter  of  feather-makers  entered  Rue  Saint-Denis, 
far  from  suspecting  all  that  had  been  plotted  against  him ; 
he  waved  his  switch  about,  looked  to  right  and  left,  then 
said  to  himself: 

"  I  went  in  there — and  there.  I  recognize  the  shops 
perfectly.  Ah !  there's  my  number  three.  There's  only 
one  more — the  fourth — there  it  is ;  yes,  I  recognize  the 
forewoman,  who  had  a  very  amiable  expression,  laughing 
as  she  did  with  all  the  rest  of  them.  Now,  I  will  go  into 
the  next  one  I  see,  and  we'll  have  a  little  laugh.  Oh !  the 
question  I  am  going  to  ask  will  be  so  laughable  !  the  girls 
will  fairly  howl.  I  won't  even  answer  for  it  that  I  can 


THE  HUNT  FOR    THE  FEATHER-MAKERS         285 

keep  a  serious  face  myself. — Ah !  there's  a  feather-shop. 
A  fine  place — forward  ! " 

Cherami  made  but  one  bound  to  the  shop  he  had  dis- 
covered ;  he  entered,  struck  a  graceful  attitude,  and  ogled 
the  workgirls,  not  noticing  several  young  men  who  had 
stepped  behind  the  doors  when  he  entered. 

The  forewoman  looked  at  him  in  a  strange  way, 
but  asked  him,  none  the  less,  in  a  polite  tone,  what  he 
wanted. 

Cherami  replied,  with  a  winning  smile : 

"  What  do  I  want  ?  Mon  Dieu !  fair  lady,  a  very  simple 
thing.  I  would  like — I  like  to  think  that  you  keep  them 
— I  would  like  a  broomstick." 

"  Certainly  we  keep  them,  monsieur,"  the  forewoman 
instantly  answered.  "  How  lucky !  we  have  just  laid  in 
a  stock.  You  couldn't  go  to  a  better  place." 

While  Cherami  listened  in  utter  amazement  to  this 
reply,  which  he  was  very  far  from  expecting,  the  young 
men,  who  had,  as  it  happened,  provided  themselves  with 
broomsticks,  came  forth  from  their  hiding-place  and  fell 
upon  him  at  close  quarters,  crying : 

"Ah !  you  want  broomsticks,  do  you  ?  well !  you  shall 
have  'em ! — to  teach  you  to  go  into  shops  as  you  did  last 
night,  to  make  sport  of  honest  tradesmen  !  Take  that, 
and  that !  how  do  you  like  broomsticks  ?  " 

Cherami,  who  was  unprepared  for  this  attack,  tried  to 
parry  the  blows  with  his  switch,  but  the  switch  was  no 
match  for  the  weapons  of  his  opponents ;  so  he  thought 
of  nothing  but  making  his  escape. 

"  I  will  wait  for  you  in  the  street,  messieurs,"  he  cried; 
"  I  challenge  you  all,  one  at  a  time." 

But  they  made  no  reply;  they  simply  pushed  him 
into  the  street  and  closed  the  door  on  him.  Somewhat 


286  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM! 

ashamed  of  the  result  of  his  jest,  our  friend,  who  had 
received  a  too  well-aimed  blow  from  a  broomstick  over 
his  left  eye,  walked  away,  holding  his  handkerchief  to 
the  wound,  and  saying  to  himself: 

"  What  a  damnable  idea  that  was  of  mine,  to  ask  for  a 
broomstick !     This  time,  I  have  my  cue  ! " 


XL 

THE  BANKER 

Cherami's  left  eye  was  so  badly  damaged,  and  retained 
so  long  the  marks  of  the  blow  it  had  received,  that  the 
ex-beau  was  obliged  to  keep  his  room  six  weeks,  be- 
cause he  did  not  choose  to  go  out  with  a  bandage  across 
his  face. 

Madame  Louchard,  who  was  frequently  intrusted  with 
the  duty  of  dressing  the  wounded  organ,  said  one  day  to 
her  tenant : 

"  How  in  the  world  did  you  get  that  trump  ?  " 
"You   call   that   a  trump,  my  amiable    hostess!     It 
would  be  a  deuced  fine  hand  which  was  full  of  such 
trumps  ! " 

"  You  fought  another  duel,  did  you,  hot-head  ?  " 
"  I  am  forced  to  confess  that  I  was  beaten  this  time ; 
I  wasn't  strong   enough;    there  was  a  whole   regiment 
against  me." 

"  That  wasn't  done  by  a  sword,  was  it  ?  " 
"No,  unluckily!     A  sword   puts  your  eye  out,  but 
doesn't  force  it  out  of  your  head.     But  I  got  it  for  the 
sake  of  two  girls !  " 


THE  BANKER  287 

"Aha!  so  you  must  have  two  at  once!  God!  what 
good  reason  I  have  to  hate  men ! " 

"  However,  this  forced  retirement  has  compelled  me 
to  be  economical ;  I  have  given  you  a  superb  payment 
on  account." 

"  Twenty-five  francs  !     Do  you  call  that  superb  ?  " 

"  Everything  is  comparative ;  I  usually  give  you  only 
a  hundred  sous.  My  eye  is  getting  well,  thank  God ! 
I  shall  soon  resume  my  activity." 

"  And  run  after  your  girls  again,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  No,  on  my  word  as  a  gentleman,  I  shan't  begin  that 
again ;  I've  had  enough  of  it !  I  have  my  cue.  I  am 
going  to  try  to  find  my  friend  Gustave;  he  may  have 
been  in  Paris  since  I  have  kept  my  room.  My  first  visit 
will  be  to  his  uncle,  a  by  no  means  amiable  party,  who 
presumes  to  look  askance  at  me ;  but,  so  long  as  he  tells 
me  where  his  nephew  is,  I  will  allow  him  to  make  faces 
at  me,  if  it  affords  him  any  pleasure." 

A  few  days  later,  Cherami  was,  in  fact,  able  to  go  out, 
and  without  a  bandage ;  his  eye  had  resumed  its  normal 
appearance.  Our  man  had  taken  great  pains  with  his  toilet : 
his  boots  were  polished,  his  hat  and  coat  carefully  brushed  ; 
he  took  his  switch,  entered  the  omnibus  from  Belleville, 
took  an  exchange  check,  and,  in  due  time,  arrived  at  the 
banker's  establishment  in  Faubourg  Montmartre. 

On  this  occasion,  Cherami  did  not  stop  to  talk  with  the 
concierge;  he  went  straight  to  the  office  and  found 
the  same  clerk  still  at  work  on  his  figures.  It  is  a  fact 
that  there  are  some  clerks  in  banking-houses  who  pass 
almost  the  whole  day  at  that  work.  When  they  go  to 
sleep,  it  would  seem  that  they  must  always  see  figures 
dancing  and  fluttering  about  them ;  what  a  pleasant  life ! 
and  what  delightful  dreams ! 


288  MONSIEUR    CHER  A  All 

Cherami  stopped  in  front  of  the  old  clerk,  who  kept 
his  eyes  fixed  on  his  ledger  as  before,  making  the  same 
dull  sound  that  some  machines  make:  "Six — eight — 
fourteen — twenty-seven — thirty." 

"  I  say,  my  good  man,  haven't  you  stopped  that  since 
the  last  time  I  came  ?  "  cried  Cherami,  tapping  on  the 
clerk's  desk  with  his  switch.  "  Sapristi !  you're  no  com- 
mon clerk;  you're  a  living  logarithm,  a  ciphering-machine 
on  which  somebody  ought  to  take  out  a  patent !  You 
ought  to  fetch  a  big  price." 

The  old  clerk  replied  simply,  without  raising  his  head : 

"  Don't  hit  my  ledger  like  that ;  don't  you  see  that  you 
raise  the  dust  ?  " 

"  Yes,  to  be  sure,  I  see  that  I  raise  lots  of  dust ;  your 
office-boys  don't  dust  here  every  day,  it  seems  ?  " 

"Thirty-five — forty-four — fifty-three." 

"Ah!  the  machine's  starting  up  again.  Look  you:  I 
would  be  glad  to  avoid  applying  to  your  employer, 
Monsieur  Grandcourt,  as  we're  not  on  the  best  of  terms. 
Come,  Papa  Double-Naught,  tell  me  if  the  banker's 
nephew,  Gustave,  has  returned  from  Germany.  I  have 
something  to  say  to  him — something  important,  very  im- 
portant ;  I  am  anxious  to  assure  his  happiness  !  Well  ?  " 

"  Eighty  from  a  hundred  and  sixty  leaves " 

"Ah!  this  is  too  much!  it  passes  conception!  He 
ought  to  be  sent  to  the  Exposition ! " 

Having  brought  his  switch  down  on  the  desk  once 
more,  with  such  violence  that  the  sand  and  ink  flew  up 
into  the  clerk's  face,  Cherami  strode  toward  the  banker's 
private  office,  and  found  that  gentleman  reading  the 
newspaper. 

At  sight  of  Cherami,  whom  he  recognized  at  once, 
although  his  apparel  was  greatly  improved,  Monsieur 


THE  BANKER  289 

Grandcourt  frowned.  His  visitor,  on  the  contrary,  tried 
to  smile,  and  said,  bowing  gracefully : 

"  Monsieur,  I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  servant." 

"  Good-morning,  monsieur !  " 

"  Do  you  remember  me,  by  any  chance  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,  monsieur.  Indeed,  you  are  not  at  all 
changed,  except  in  respect  to  your  dress,  which  I  con- 
gratulate you  upon  having  renewed." 

"  Ah  !  you  notice  that  ?  You  look  at  a  man's  dress, 
I  see  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  should  say  that  it  was  impossible  not  to 
notice  it." 

"  I  mean  to  say  that  you  attach  importance  to  it,  that 
you  judge  the  man  by  his  coat." 

"  Was  it  to  ascertain  my  opinion  on  that  subject  that 
you  called  on  me,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  No ;  oh,  no !  I  snap  my  fingers  at  other  people's 
opinions.  I  know  my  own  value,  and  that's  enough 
for  me." 

"  I  congratulate  you,  monsieur,  on  knowing  your  own 
value ;  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  world  at  large  doesn't 
suspect  it." 

Cherami  bit  his  lips  and  twisted  his  whiskers,  mut- 
tering : 

"  This  devil  of  a  fellow  hasn't  changed,  either — still 
sarcastic,  mocking.  I  don't  despise  intellects  of  that 
type ;  they  prick  and  stir  one  up.  You  retort,  and  the 
conversation  is  all  the  more  highly  spiced." 

Monsieur  Grandcourt  repressed  a  faint  smile  and  leaned 
back  in  his  chair,  crossing  his  legs,  as  if  waiting  to  hear 
what  his  caller  had  to  say. 

"  I  would  be  willing  to  bet  that  you  guess  why  I  have 
come  ?  "  said  Cherami  at  last. 


290  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  It  is  quite  possible,  monsieur ;  still,  I  may  be  mis- 
taken." 

"  I  have  come  to  ask  where  your  dear  nephew  is — my 
friend  Gustave." 

"  He  is  travelling,  monsieur." 

"  Still  travelling  ?     But,  he  must  be  somewhere." 

"  He  was  at  Berlin  not  long  ago." 

"  Not  long  ago — that's  rather  vague.  However,  he 
writes  to  you,  and  you  answer  him,  I  presume  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  doubt  about  that." 

"  Consequently,  he  tells  you  where  to  send  your  letters. 
Very  good !  be  kind  enough  to  give  me  his  address,  so 
that  I  may  write  to  Gustave  forthwith.  I  desire  to  tell 
him  a  piece  of  news  which  will  make  him  very  happy, 
and  will  probably  hasten  his  return  to  Paris.  When  one 
can  give  a  friend  pleasure,  it  would  seem  that  one  cannot 
do  it  too  quickly!  Don't  you  agree  with  me  in  that?  " 

"  Perhaps,  monsieur ;  that  depends  on  the  possible 
results  of  the  pleasure  which  you  wish  to  afford  your 
friend.  What  is  this  joyous  news  which  you  are  in  such 
haste  to  transmit  to  my  nephew,  so  as  to  make  him  hurry 
back  ?  Couldn't  you  tell  me  ?  " 

"  I  might  say  that  you  are  very  inquisitive ;  but  you 
are  my  friend's  uncle,  and,  for  that  reason,  I  excuse 
you.  The  little  woman  whom  Gustave  adored,  whom 
he  still  adores — at  least,  he  told  me  so  before  he  went 
away — that  charming  Fanny ! — and  she  really  is  very 
pretty !  I  had  a  chance  to  examine  her  at  my  ease  when 
I  called  on  her — a  refined,  intellectual  face,  a  coaxing 
voice,  a  foot  just  large  enough  to  say  that  she  has 
one " 

"  Well,  monsieur,  this  Fanny  ?  " 

"  Well,  dear  uncle,  she  is  a  widow !  " 


THE  BANKER  291 

"  Oh !  monsieur,  I  have  known  that  a  long  while. 
She's  a  widow  because  her  husband  blew  his  brains  out, 
which  doesn't  indicate  that  he  was  very  happy  at  home." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  ;  he  killed  himself  because  he  was 
ruined — by  unlucky  speculations  on  the  Bourse.  Still,  I 
am  not  talking  about  the  dead  man,  but  about  his  widow. 
Since  the  woman  Gustave  adored  is  free,  what  is  there 
to  prevent  him,  later — I  don't  say  now,  at  once,  but  when 
her  year  of  mourning  has  passed " 

"  So,  monsieur,  it  is  with  the  purpose  of  reviving  that 
idiotic  passion  of  my  nephew  for  a  woman  who  laughed 
at  him,  that  you  insist  upon  knowing  where  he  is  ?  You 
hope  that  on  receipt  of  your  letter  he  will  drop  every- 
thing and  return  to  Paris  ?  " 

"  I  am  even  capable  of  going  where  he  is,  myself,  to 
fetch  him  home,  if  it  isn't  too  far — and  doesn't  cost  too 
much !  I  will  travel  third  class ;  I  don't  mind.  One 
must  make  some  sacrifice  to  friendship." 

"You  will  not  have  that  trouble,  monsieur;  and  as  I 
consider  that  my  nephew  will  certainly  return  soon 
enough,  so  far  as  seeing  your  Fanny  is  concerned,  and 
as  I  flatter  myself  that  he  will  then  have  ceased  to  think 
of  that  young  woman,  I  shall  not  give  you  his  address." 

"  Ah !  indeed !  so  you  are  still  as  hard-hearted  and 
tyrannical  as  ever  ?  " 

"  A  man  is  not  necessarily  a  tyrant,  monsieur,  because 
he  prevents  silly  boys  from  making  fools  of  themselves. 
I  am  well  aware  that,  nowadays,  it  is  customary  to  give 
that  name  to  those  who  insist  that  laws  and  customs  and 
individual  rights  shall  be  respected;  that  old  age  shall 
be  honored,  that  children  shall  revere  their  parents  and 
celebrate  their  birthdays,  and  that  there  shall  be  no 
smoking  in  a  room  where  there  are  ladies;  if  that's 


292  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

what  you  mean  by  tyrant,  why,  I  am  a  tyrant,  monsieur, 
and  I  am  proud  of  it." 

Cherami  paced  up  and  down  the  room,  muttering : 

"You  are  trying  to  make  me  think  it's  noon  at  two 
o'clock !  I  care  nothing  for  all  that !  Once,  twice,  will 
you  give  me  Gustave's  address  ?  " 

"  A  hundred  times,  no !  " 

"  Good-day,  then  !     I  have  my  cue  !  " 

And  Cherami  rushed  from  the  room  in  a  rage,  saying 
to  himself: 

"  If  I  had  such  an  uncle  as  that,  I'd  disinherit  him ! " 


XLI 

THE  YOUNG  WIDOW 

For  several  days,  Cherami  went  every  morning  and 
inquired  of  the  banker's  concierge  if  the  young  traveller 
had  returned ;  but  as  he  always  received  a  negative  reply, 
he  soon  tired  of  repeating  the  same  trip  to  no  purpose, 
and  confined  himself  to  going  there  once  a  week. 

Meanwhile,  time  passed,  and  Cherami,  reduced  once 
more  to  the  necessity  of  living  on  his  slender  income, 
found  himself  anew  without  enough  money  in  his  pocket 
to  buy  a  cigar. 

But  winter  had  given  place  to  spring,  fine  weather  had 
returned,  and  the  ex-beau  strolled  about  in  search  of 
acquaintances  more  persistently  than  ever. 

One  morning,  near  the  Chateau  d'Eau,  he  saw  two 
girls,  apparently  waiting  for  an  omnibus;  he  walked 
toward  them,  saying  to  himself: 


THE    YOUNG   WIDOW  293 

"  Par  la  sambleu  !  I  believe  those  are  my  pretty  feather- 
makers.  Yes,  they  certainly  are  Mesdemoiselles  Laurette 
and  Lucie." 

Hearing  their  names,  the  young  women  turned  and 
looked  at  the  stranger,  who  bowed  low  to  them.  Sud- 
denly Laurette,  the  dark  one,  cried : 

"  Ah !  I  recognize  monsieur  now ;  he's  the  one  who 
talked  with  us  at  Porte  Saint-Martin  last  summer." 

"  Yes,  mesdemoiselles ;  the  same.  Are  you  going  up 
to  Belleville  again  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

"  And  to  the  restaurant  in  Pare  Saint-Fargeau  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  but  we  have  a  friend  who  lives  in  the 
village  of  L'Avenir." 

"And  where  might  the  village  of  L'Avenir  be,  if  you 
please  ?  " 

"  What !  you  don't  know  it  ?  " 

"  I  have  never  been  able  to  read  the  future  (/  'avenir), 
and  I  was  not  aware  that  it  had  a  village." 

"  It's  in  Romainville  Forest,  a  little  this  side,  on  high 
land  from  which  you  get  a  fine  view.  There  have  been 
a  lot  of  houses  built  there,  almost  all  alike ;  small,  but 
very  neat  and  prettily  decorated,  each  with  its  little 
garden.  As  they  don't  cost  much,  and  you  can  pay  on 
very  easy  terms,  why,  the  village  of  L'Avenir  sprang  up 
all  at  once,  as  if  by  magic." 

"  Pardieu !  I'll  go  and  buy  a  house  there — as  soon  as  I'm 
in  funds.  Ah!  mesdemoiselles,  I  have  hunted  everywhere 
for  you !  If  you  knew  all  that  I  have  done  to  find  you ! " 

"  Us,  monsieur  ?     Why  did  you  want  to  find  us  ?  " 

"  To  ask  you  to  go  to  the  play  and  to  supper." 

"Ah !  what  a  fine  idea!  But  perhaps  we  wouldn't  have 
accepted  ?  " 


294  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  That  perhaps  relieves  my  mind.  There  was  nothing 
improper  in  my  suggestion." 

"  Monsieur  certainly  has  too  gentlemanly  an  air  for 
anybody  to  distrust  him." 

"  Damnation ! "  said  Cherami  to  himself;  "  what  a 
pity  that  I  haven't  a  sou !  I'll  bet  they  would  accept 
now." 

"  Where  did  you  look  for  us,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  Why,  in  all  the  feather-shops  on  Rue  Saint-Denis." 

"Ah!  you  would  have  had  to  look  a  long  while.  We're 
not  in  the  feather  business  now ;  we  have  changed." 

"  What  are  you  in  now  ?  " 

"  Pearls ;  we  string  pearls." 

"Ah !  that's  a  very  pretty  trade.  I  have  never  worked 
in  pearls  myself,  and  yet  I  would  have  liked " 

"  Here's  our  'bus,  Laurette — come.    Adieu,  monsieur ! " 

"  In  what  quarter,  please  ?  " 

"  Rue  des  Arcis." 

The  young  women  climbed  into  the  omnibus,  and 
Cherami  watched  them  ride  away.  He  sighed,  muttered 
a  malediction  against  fate,  tapped  his  trousers  with  his 
switch,  and  continued  his  promenade.  But  he  had  not 
walked  a  hundred  yards,  when  he  found  himself  face  to 
face  with  a  young  lady  dressed  in  mourning,  who  stopped 
and  bestowed  a  gracious  salutation  upon  him.  Cherami 
bowed  to  the  ground,  for  he  had  recognized  Auguste 
Monleard's  young  widow. 

"  Good-morning,  monsieur !  do  you  recognize  me  ?  " 
said  Fanny,  with  a  smile. 

"Ah!  madame,  I  must  be  short-sighted  to  the  last 
degree  to  have  forgotten  your  enchanting  face  after  I 
had  seen  it  once  !  " 

"  But  this  mourning  changes  one  a  good  deal." 


THE    YOUNG   WIDOW  295 

"  Whether  you  wear  black,  or  pink,  or  nothing  at  all, 
I  will  answer  for  it  that  you  will  always  be  charming. 
Indeed,  I  should  prefer  the  last." 

"  You  are  very  gallant,  Monsieur  Cherami !  " 

"  I  am  delighted  to  find  that  madame  remembers  my 
name." 

"  I  have  not  forgotten  it,  monsieur ;  indeed,  I  was  very 
anxious  to  see  you." 

"  Really  !  If  I  could  have  dreamed  of  such  a  thing, 
madame,  I  would  have  done  myself  the  honor  to  call 
upon  you  long  since." 

"  I  wanted  first  of  all  to  thank  you  for  your  kind- 
ness in  going  to  my  father's  to  perform  an  unpleasant 
errand." 

"  Oh  !  let  us  say  no  more  of  that,  I  beg !  Have  you 
any  other  commission  to  intrust  to  me  ?  I  am  at  your 
service,  I  have  nothing  to  do ;  command  me." 

"  I  thank  you,  Monsieur  Cherami.  Do  you  know 
Monsieur  Gustave  Darlemont  ?  " 

"  Do  I  know  him  !  He  is  my  best  friend,  my  Euryalus, 
my  Orestes,  my  Pythias. — Yes,  indeed,  madame;  I  do 
know  him  and  appreciate  him ;  he  is  a  charming  fellow, 
who  deserves  to  be  loved. " 

"Tell  me  frankly,  Monsieur  Cherami, — surely  you 
have  no  reason  now  to  conceal  the  truth  from  me, — did 
Gustave  ask  you  to  fight  with  my  husband  ?  " 

"Ah !  so  madame  knows  that  it  was  I  who " 

"Who  fought  a  duel  with  Monsieur  Monleard.  To 
be  sure ;  but  have  no  fear ;  I  bear  you  no  ill-will  at  all 
for  that." 

"  She's  a  charming  creature,"  said  Cherami  to  himself; 
"  I  fancy  that  she  would  bear  me  no  more  ill-will  if  I  had 
killed  her  husband." 


296  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"But,  monsieur,"  rejoined  Fanny,  "be  good  enough 
to  tell  me  why  you  called  me  faithless  when  you  saw 
me  pass  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  mon  Dieu  !  my  dear  madame,  it's  very  easy  to 
understand.  I  had  dined  with  poor  Gustave  at  the  res- 
taurant where  you  gave  your  wedding  party.  During 
the  whole  meal,  the  dear  fellow  was  in  such  utter  despair 
that  it  was  painful  to  see  him.  He  didn't  eat,  he  didn't 
drink ;  I  was  compelled  to  dine  for  two,  and  to  hold  on 
to  him  every  minute  to  keep  him  from  seeking  you  out 
in  the  midst  of  your  party." 

"  Really!    Poor  fellow!  was  he  so  broken  up  as  that?" 

"  In  the  evening,  he  spoke  to  your  sister  and  made  her 
promise  that,  when  you  came  back  for  the  ball,  she  would 
arrange  it  so  that  he  could  have  an  interview  with  you." 

"  My  sister  never  told  me  a  word  of  all  this.  That 
Adolphine's  a  strange  creature !  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  seems  that  she  sent  word  to  Gus- 
tave's  uncle,  to  come  to  take  him  away." 

"  What  business  was  it  of  hers  ?  " 

"The  uncle  came  and  compelled  his  nephew  to  go 
with  him ;  I  was  left  alone.  I  had  drunk  quite  a  lot  of 
punch ;  I  had  looked  in  at  a  wedding  party  on  the  floor 
above  yours.  As  I  came  from  that  party,  heated  by 
dancing,  and  still  thinking  of  my  disconsolate  friend,  I 
caught  sight  of  you,  and  I  let  slip  that  remark ;  which 
I  retract  to-day,  and  offer  a  thousand  apologies  for 
making  it." 

"You  are  freely  forgiven.  So  Gustave  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  duel  ?  " 

"  He  knew  absolutely  nothing  about  it  until  he  returned 
from  Spain." 

"  Do  you  know  where  he  is  now  ?  " 


OKESTES  AND  PYLADES  297 

"  Alas,  no !  In  Prussia,  I  believe.  I  have  been  several 
times  to  ask ;  but  he  has  an  uncle  who  is  the  most  disa- 
greeable man  you  can  imagine !  If  he  weren't  so  closely 
connected  with  my  friend,  I  would  have  run  him  through 
before  this.  Still,  Gustave  must  return  some  time ;  I  am 
on  the  watch  for  him." 

"  When  you  hear  anything  about  him,  it  will  be 
very  kind  of  you  to  let  me  know.  This  is  my  new 
address." 

"  Be  sure,  madame,  that  I  shall  be  only  too  happy  to 
prove  my  zeal." 

"  Adieu,  Monsieur  Cherami !  " 

"  Madame,  accept  my  most  respectful  homage. — I  don't 
know  whether  she  is  sincerely  fond  of  Gustave,"  thought 
Cherami,  as  the  charming  widow  left  him,  "but  it  is 
certain  that  she  is  burning  to  see  him  again." 


XLII 

ORESTES  AND  PYLADES 

Fanny  had  been  a  widow  more  than  six  months,  when, 
as  Cherami  was  approaching  Monsieur  Grandcourt's 
abode  one  morning,  he  saw  Gustave  come  out.  He 
uttered  a  joyful  exclamation,  and  hastened  to  throw  his 
arms  about  the  young  traveller,  crying : 

"  Tandem !  denique !  here  he  is  at  last !  this  is  good 
luck,  indeed !  Damnation !  you've  been  away  a  long 
while,  but  we  will  hope  that  it's  the  last  time." 

"  Good-day,  my  dear  Arthur !  "  said  Gustave,  as  they 
shook  hands.  "  Were  you  coming  to  see  my  uncle  ?  " 


298  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

"  Your  uncle  !  Sapristi !  he's  a  dear  creature,  is  your 
uncle;  let's  talk  about  something  else.  Why,  I  have 
been  here  a  hundred  times;  I  wanted  to  get  your  ad- 
dress, so  that  I  could  write  to  you  or  come  after  you ; 
but  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  the  slightest  information 
from  your  uncle.  When  did  you  return  ?  " 

"  Last  night,  at  nine  o'clock.  But  why  were  you  so 
anxious  to  know  where  I  was  ?  What  had  you  to  tell 
me  that  was  so  important  ?  " 

"  Hasn't  your  uncle  told  you  anything  ?  " 
"  We  had  a  talk  this  morning,  on  business ;  that's  all." 
"  Ah !  the  old  fox !  there's  no  danger  that  he  would 
tell  you  what  interested  you  most." 

"  Then  do  you  tell  me,  quickly,  Cherami." 

"  Your  former  passion,  that  little  woman  you  loved  so 

dearly " 

"  Fanny !     Great  God !  is  she  dead  ?  " 
"  No,  no !  she's  not  dead ;  she's  in  bewitching  health, 
she's  just  as  pretty  as  ever,  and  more  than  that — she's  a 
widow." 

"  A  widow  !     Great  heaven !  can  it  be  possible  ?  " 
"  It's  more  than  possible,  it's  so.     Her  husband  specu- 
lated in  stocks,  and  ruined  himself;  then,  crac  !  a  pistol- 
shot — you  understand." 

"  Oh !  what  a  calamity !  Why,  it's  perfectly  ghastly ; 
how  long  ago  was  it  ?  " 

"  Almost  immediately  after  you  went  away." 
"  Poor  Fanny !  she  expected  to  find  her  happiness  in 
that  marriage ;  how  she  must  have  grieved  !  how  bitterly 
she  must  have  wept !  " 

"  My  dear  Gustave,  you  don't  know  that  young  woman 
at  all.  She  has  very  great  strength  of  character;  she 
received  the  news  of  her  husband's  death  with  a  stoical 


ORESTES  AND  PYLADES  299 

courage  worthy  of  the  Spartan  women  who  sent  their 
sons  to  war,  bidding  them  to  return  as  victors  or  not 
at  all." 

"  How  do  you  know  that,  Cherami  ?  " 

"  Pardieu !  because  it  was  I  to  whom  her  husband  con- 
fided his  last  wishes  and  the  mission  of  informing  his 
wife  of  his  death." 

"  To  you !  you  who  fought  a  duel  with  him  ?  " 

"  Precisely !  that  duel  made  us  the  best  friends  in  the 
world.  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it  in  detail  another  time. 
Let  it  suffice  for  the  present,  that  the  young  widow,  who 
is  already  thoroughly  consoled,  does  not  cease  to  talk 
about  you,  to  ask  about  you,  and  to  inquire  whether  you 
will  return  soon." 

"  Is  that  true  ?  you  are  not  deceiving  me  ?  Fanny 
thinks  of  me  ?  " 

"  It  is  as  I  have  the  honor  to  tell  you,  and,  between 
ourselves,  I  believe  that  she  never  really  loved  her  hus- 
band— which  explains  why  she  wasted  so  little  regret 
on  him." 

"All  that  you  tell  me  surprises  me  so  that  I  can't 
collect  my  thoughts.  Fanny  widowed  !  Fanny  free  !  " 

"Yes,  widowed,  and  more  than  six  months  passed 
already !  By  the  way, — and  this  is  the  first  question  I 
should  have  asked  you, — do  you  still  love  her  ?  " 

"  Do  I  still  love  her !  Ah  !  my  dear  Arthur,  can  you 
doubt  it  ?  " 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  you  have  had  plenty  of  time  and 
a  perfect  right  to  forget  her.  I  seem  to  recall  that  that 
was  your  hope  when  you  went  away." 

"  That  may  be ;  but  I  have  not  been  able  to  do  it. 
I  tried  to  distract  my  thoughts,  to  fall  in  love  with  other 
women.  One  day,  I  fancied  that  I  was ;  but  the  illusion 


300  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

soon  vanished ;  and  then,  the  last  time  I  met  Fanny,  she 
was  so  sweet  with  me  that  the  memory  of  that  occa- 
sion was  not  well  calculated  to  destroy  my  love." 

"  Then  you  love  her  ?  you  are  sure  of  it  ?  " 

"  Nonsense,  my  dear  fellow !  why  do  you  ask  me  that  ?  " 

"  Oh !  because  I  had  thought  of  something  else ;  and 

if  you  were  no  longer  in  love  with  the  widow But, 

as  you  are  still  daft  over  her,  why,  that's  at  an  end ;  and 
I  believe  that  things  will  go  on  now  to  suit  you." 

"  I  am  going  to  see  Adolphine,  Fanny's  sister,  to-day." 

"Why  shouldn't  you  go  to  see  Fanny  herself?  I 
should  say  that  that  would  be  the  shortest  way.  I  can 
give  you  her  address." 

"  Oh !  you  can't  mean  that,  my  friend !  that  I  should 
go  to  that  young  widow's  house  at  once — I,  who  have 
not  been  to  see  her  since  her  marriage  !  It  wouldn't  be 
proper.  She  must  give  me  permission  first." 

"  But,  as  she  urged  you  to  call  on  her  when  she  was 
a  married  woman,  it  seems  to  me  that  she  can  afford  to 
receive  you  now  that  she's  a  widow." 

"  To  be  sure,  but  not  right  away ;  I  must  see  her  first, 
at  her  father's.  She  must  go  there  often,  now  ?  " 

"  I  should  rather  see  you  go  to  the  little  widow's  than 
to  her  father's." 

"  Why  so  ?  " 

"  Why,  indeed !  That's  the  sequel  of  the  idea  I  spoke 
about  just  now.  However,  do  as  you  think  best;  the 
main  point  is  that  you  have  come  in  time,  and  that  you 
should  stay  in  Paris ;  because  I  am  horribly  bored  while 
you  are  away.  On  my  word,  I  seem  to  miss  something." 

"  Dear  Arthur !  I  am  really  touched  by  the  interest  you 
take  in  everything  that  concerns  me. — And  yourself,  my 
friend — are  you  happy,  are  you  doing  well  in  business  ?  " 


ORESTES  AND  PYLADES  301 

"  I  can't  do  badly,  because  I  do  no  business  at  all.  I 
am  content — because  I  am  a  philosopher !  I  am  happy 
— when  I  have  my  cue;  but  I  haven't  had  it  for  some 
time." 

"  I'll  bet  that  you  have  no  money." 

"  You  would  win  very  often  if  you  made  that  bet." 

"  And  you  didn't  say  a  word  about  it !  Am  I  no  longer 
your  friend  ?  " 

"  My  dear  Gustave,  you  overwhelm  me ; — but  I  owe 
you  something  now,  and " 

"  What  does  that  matter  ?  Do  friends  keep  accounts 
with  one  another?  Isn't  he  who  can  oblige  the  other 
the  happier  ?  " 

"  Damme !  if  all  my  friends  of  the  old  days  had  been 
of  your  way  of  thinking !  " 

Gustave  produced  his  wallet,  took  out  a  banknote,  and 
thrust  it  into  Cherami's  hand,  saying : 

"  Here,  my  good  friend,  take  this ;  and  when  it's  all 
gone,  tell  me  so.  Now,  adieu  !  I  must  leave  you  and  go 
to  Monsieur  Gerbault's ;  I  dine  with  my  uncle  to-day ; 
but  if  you  will  dine  with  me  to-morrow,  be  in  front  of 
the  Passage  de  1'Opera  at  six  o'clock." 

"  If  I  will !  Par  la  sambleu  !  why,  it  will  be  a  regular 
fete  for  me." 

"  In  that  case,  adieu,  until  to-morrow ! " 

When  Gustave  was  a  long  distance  away,  Cherami 
continued  to  look  after  him,  saying  to  himself: 

"  There  goes  the  pearl  of  friends ;  I  don't  know  the 
pearls  upon  which  Mesdemoiselles  Laurette  and  Lucie 
are  employed,  but  a  real  friend  is  worth  far  more  than 
all  the  treasures  of  Golconda,  and  is  much  rarer  too. 
I  was  on  the  point  of  mentioning  a  certain  idea  that  I 
have  got  into  my  head  relative  to  little  Adolphine,  the 


302  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

pretty  widow's  sister;  but  I  thought,  on  reflection,  that 
I  should  do  better  to  say  nothing  about  it.  What  good 
would  it  do  to  tell  him  that  I  think  poor  Adolphine's  in 
love  with  him,  when  he  still  loves  Fanny  ?  It  would 
make  him  unhappy,  and  that's  all ;  he  wouldn't  dare  to 
go  to  Papa  Gerbault's  to  talk  about  his  dear  Fanny.  I 
certainly  did  well  to  hold  my  tongue.  Let's  see  what  he 
slipped  into  my  hand.  Generous  Gustave !  he  is  quite 
capable  of  loaning  me  five  hundred  francs  more." 

Cherami  unfolded  the  banknote  which  he  held  in  his 
hand,  and  was  thunderstruck  when  he  saw  that  it  was 
for  a  thousand  francs. 

Having  satisfied  himself  that  he  was  not  mistaken, 
Cherami  stuffed  the  note  into  his  cigar-case,  muttering : 

"  A  thousand  francs  !  he  gave  me  a  thousand  francs, 
and  said  :  '  When  that's  gone,  let  me  know  ! '  Sacrebleu  ! 
this  unexpected  wealth  bewilders  me.  That  young  man's 
behavior  touches  me ;  it  makes  me  blush  for  my  own. 
Come,  Arthur,  my  good  friend,  do  you  propose  to 
continue  your  dissipation,  your  foolish  courses?  And 
because  you  have  fallen  in  with  a  whole-souled  fellow 
who  gave  you  money  without  counting  it,  are  you  going 
to  work,  as  usual,  to  waste  that  money  as  you  wasted 
your  fortune  ?  I  say  no !  par  la  sambleu !  I  will  not 
do  it ;  I  propose  to  show  myself  worthy  to  be  Gustave's 
friend.  From  this  day  forth,  I  turn  over  a  new  leaf,  I 
become  a  reasonable  man,  I  put  water  in  my  wine ;  and, 
for  a  beginning,  I  will  go  and  dine  for  thirty-two  sous." 

While  Cherami  was  forming  these  excellent  resolu- 
tions, Gustave  betook  himself,  without  loss  of  time,  to 
Monsieur  Gerbault's  house. 

Adolphine  was  alone,  trying,  by  dint  of  practising  dili- 
gently on  the  piano,  to  forget  for  a  moment  the  secret 


ORESTES  AND  PYLADES  303 

pain  which  was  gnawing  at  her  heart.  Fanny's  sister 
had  changed  perceptibly  in  the  last  few  months ;  a  gen- 
uine passion  does  not  leave  one  unscathed ;  at  nineteen 
years  of  age,  such  a  passion  occupies  one's  every  mo- 
ment, obtrudes  itself  upon  one's  every  thought.  The 
girl's  features  bore  traces  of  her  suffering ;  her  face  had 
grown  thin  and  pale,  and  constantly  wore  an  expression 
of  sadness,  which  she  strove,  but  in  vain,  to  hide  beneath 
a  smile  in  the  presence  of  others ;  and  her  sister's  com- 
pany was  not  likely  to  afford  her  any  distraction,  be- 
cause she  talked  almost  incessantly  of  the  man  whom 
Adolphine  would  have  been  glad  to  forget. 

Madeleine,  who  had  recognized  Gustave,  did  not  deem 
it  necessary  to  announce  him,  but  allowed  him  to  enter 
her  mistress's  apartment,  where  he  could  hear  her  play- 
ing the  piano.  He  went  forward  softly  and  stood  behind 
Adolphine,  and  several  moments  passed  before  she  hap- 
pened to  glance  at  the  mirror  over  the  piano  and  saw 
him  standing  there.  A  cry  escaped  her ;  she  whispered 
Gustave's  name,  then  a  ghastly  pallor  spread  over  her 
face,  and  she  looked  down  at  the  floor. 

"  Mon  Dieu !  my  dear  Adolphine  !  what's  the  matter?" 
cried  the  young  man,  in  dismay;  "shall  I  call  some- 
body?" 

But  Adolphine  motioned  to  him  not  to  go,  and  shook 
hands  with  him,  saying  in  an  uncertain  voice : 

"  It's  nothing — the  surprise — the  excitement ;  I  was  so 
unprepared  to  see  you !  But  it's  all  gone. — So  you  are 
at  home  again,  Monsieur  Gustave  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  good  little  sister.  So  you  didn't  expect  me, 
eh  ?  You  had  forgotten  all  about  me  ?  " 

"  Oh !  I  don't  say  that ;  on  the  contrary,  it  seemed  to 
me  that  you  were  staying  away  a  long  while  this  time." 


304  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  I  have  been  away  nearly  seven  months ;  and  during 
that  time,  I  understand  that — many  things  have  hap- 
pened here." 

"  Ah !  you  know  ?  " 
.  "  Yes,  I  know  that  your  sister  is  a  widow." 

"Who  has  told  you  that,  so  soon?" 

"  Cherami ;  you  know,  the  man  who  was  with  me  the 
day  of " 

"  Oh,  yes !  I  know  him ;  it  was  he,  too,  who  came  to 
tell  us  the  fatal  news  of  poor  Auguste's  death ;  for,  I 
don't  know  how  it  happens,  but  your  Monsieur  Cherami 
succeeds  in  having  his  finger  in  everything;  everybody 
takes  him  for  a  confidant. — When  did  you  return  ?  " 

"  Only  last  evening." 

"  It  was  very  nice  of  you  to  think  of  coming  here. 
Father  is  out,  but  he  will  be  at  home  soon." 

"  Good  !  for  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  talk  with  him.  I 
trust  that  he  won't  think  it  improper  for  me  to  come  here 
now,  as  he  did  before  ?  " 

Adolphine  could  not  restrain  a  nervous  gesture  as  she 
replied : 

"  Ah  !  so  you  want  to  come  to  see  us  again  ?  Yes — 
I  understand — you  are  no  longer  afraid  to  meet  Fanny." 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  ought  to  avoid  her  presence 
still  ?•  tell  me,  dear  Adolphine  !  " 

"I?  Oh!  I  don't  think  anything  about  it.  Why 
should  you  suppose  that  I  think  that?  I  can't  read 
your  heart,  you  see,  and  I  have  no  idea  whether  it  still 
entertains  the  same  sentiments  as  before." 

"  Ah !  I  can  safely  tell  you,  who  have  always  treated 
me  like  a  brother;  indeed,  why  should  I  make  a  mys- 
tery of  it,  anyway?  Yes,  I  love  Fanny  as  dearly  as 
ever,  her  image  has  not  ceased  for  a  single  day  to  be 


ORESTES  AND  PYLADES  305 

present  in  my  thoughts.  My  love,  although  hopeless, 
has  never  changed.  Judge,  then,  whether  I  can  cease  to 
love  her,  now  that  I  am  once  more  at  liberty  to  anticipate 
happiness  in  the  future !  " 

Adolphine  passed  her  hand  across  her  brow  and  made 
an  effort  to  retain  her  self-possession,  as  she  replied : 

"  Ah !  it's  a  fine  thing  to  love  like  that,  with  a  con- 
stancy which  time  and  absence  have  failed  to  shake !  It's 
a  fine  thing ;  and  a  woman  could  not  love  you  too  well 
to  recompense  a  passion  as  true  and  pure  as  yours ! " 

"  Now,  that  we  are  alone,  tell  me,  dear  Adolphine, 
do  you  think  that  Fanny  will  receive  me  kindly?  Do 
you  think  that  my  constancy  will  touch  her  ?  that  her 
heart  will  be  moved  by  it?  Ambition  and  the  wish 
to  cut  a  figure  in  the  world  caused  her  to  prefer  Mon- 
sieur Monleard  to  me.  I  can  readily  forgive  her,  young 
as  she  was,  for  listening  to  vanity  rather  than  love — 
for  I  fancy  that  she  never  had  much  love  for  her  hus- 
band." 

"  Oh,  no  !  I  don't  think  that  she  had,  either." 

"  In  that  case,  his  death  cannot  have  caused  her  a  very 
deep  grief?" 

"  She  regretted  his  fortune,  that's  all." 

"  What  are  her  means  now  ?  " 

"  Twenty-five  hundred  francs  a  year.  My  father  asked 
her  to  come  to  live  with  us,  but  she  preferred  to  have  a 
home  of  her  own." 

"Twenty-five  hundred  francs!  That's  very  little  for 
one  who  has  kept  her  carriage." 

"It's  quite  enough  for  one  whose  happiness  doesn't 
depend  on  money." 

"  You  think  so,  Adolphine,  because  you  haven't  your 
sister's  tastes;  but  all  women  aren't  like  you.  Fanny 


306  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

loves  society ;  she's  a  bit  of  a  coquette,  perhaps — that's 
a  very  pardonable  fault.  Thank  heaven !  I  am  so  placed 
now  that  I  can  gratify  the  tastes  of  the  woman  whom 
I  marry.  I  earn  ten  thousand  francs  a  year;  she  will 
not  be  able  to  have  horses  in  her  stable  and  carriages 
in  her  carriage-house,  but  she  will  not  be  obliged  to 
walk  when  she  doesn't  want  to. — You  don't  answer  me, 
Adolphine — do  you  think  Fanny  will  consent  to  be  my 
wife  ?  " 

"  Oh !  now  that  you  earn  ten  thousand  francs  a  year, 
she  will  smile  on  your  suit,  no  doubt." 

Gustave  sighed,  as  he  rejoined  in  a  lower  tone : 

"  Then,  if  I  couldn't  offer  her  that,  she  would  refuse 
me  again  ?  That's  what  you  mean  to  imply,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  No,  no !  Mon  Dieu !  Monsieur  Gustave,  I  didn't 
mean  to  hurt  you ;  I  did  wrong  to  say  that.  Fanny  must 
love  you — why  shouldn't  she  love  you  ?  It  would  be 
awfully  ungrateful  of  her  not  to — when  you  have  given 
her  abundant  proof  of  so  much  love  and  constancy — 
and  have  forgiven  her  for  the  sorrow  she  caused  you. 
Certainly  she  loves  you;  you  will  be  happy  with  her; 
but — you  see — I  can't  bear  to  talk  about  it  all  the  time — 
because  it  worries  me — it  makes  me  uneasy — for  you. 
Mon  Dieu  !  I  am  all  confused." 

Gustave  scrutinized  the  girl  more  closely,  then  ex- 
claimed : 

"Why,  I  hadn't  noticed  before!  How  you  have 
changed ;  how  thin  you  are  !  Have  you  been  ill,  my 
little  sister?" 

"Ah!  you  notice  it  now,  do  you?  Why,  no,  I  am 
not  ill ;  nothing's  the  matter  with  me ;  I  don't  know  why 
I  should  change." 

"Are  you  in  pain  ?  " 


ORESTES  AND  PYLADES  307 

Adolphine  raised  her  lovely  eyes,  as  if  appealing  to 
heaven,  as  she  replied : 

"  No,  I  have  no  pain." 

"  I  can't  have  you  sick !  I  insist  upon  your  recovering 
your  fine,  healthy  color  of  the  old  days ;  and  now  that  I 
have  returned,  I  will  look  after  your  health." 

"  Thanks !  thanks !  you  will  come  to  see  us  often, 
then  ?  " 

"  I  hope  to  do  so ;  and  your  sister — does  she  come 
here  often  ?  " 

"Thursdays,  because  we  receive  then;  occasionally  on 
other  days." 

Monsieur  Gerbault's  arrival  put  an  end  to  this  con- 
versation. He  greeted  Gustave  cordially,  and  the  young 
man  made  no  secret  of  the  pleasure  it  would  give  him  to 
come  frequently  to  the  house ;  he  did  not  mention  Fanny, 
preferring  not  to  begin  to  talk  of  his  renewed  hopes  at 
their  very  first  meeting ;  but  he  adroitly  found  a  way  to 
make  known  his  financial  position,  which  would  enable 
him,  if  he  married,  to  offer  an  attractive  prospect  to  the 
woman  who  should  bear  his  name. 

Now  that  his  oldest  daughter  was  a  widow,  Monsieur 
Gerbault  saw  no  impropriety  in  Gustave's  meeting  her ; 
and  he  was  the  first  to  urge  the  young  man  to  come 
to  his  house  at  his  pleasure,  as  before.  Gustave  was 
enchanted;  he  pressed  Monsieur  Gerbault's  hand,  then 
Adolphine's,  and  took  his  leave  without  noticing  that  the 
latter's  depression  had  become  more  marked  than  ever. 


3o8  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


XLIII 

A  COMPLETE  REFORMATION 

The  next  evening,  at  six  o'clock,  Cherami,  dressed 
with  an  elegance  which  made  of  him  once  more  the 
stylish  beau  of  former  days,  was  walking  near  the  Pas- 
sage de  1'Opera.  Several  of  his  former  boon  compan- 
ions, who  had  ceased  to  bow  to  him  since  he  had  worn  a 
threadbare  coat,  had  stopped  when  they  caught  sight  of 
him  and  acted  as  if  they  would  accost  him  ;  but  Cherami 
at  once  turned  on  his  heel,  saying  to  himself: 

"  Go  your  way,  canaille !  I  know  what  you  amount  to, 
my  fine  fellows !  You  wouldn't  look  at  me  when  I  was 
strapped.  You  recognize  me  because  I  am  well  dressed. 
Avaunt !  I  have  had  enough  of  such  people !  " 

Gustave  soon  appeared ;  he  could  not  restrain  an  ex- 
clamation of  surprise  as  he  gazed  at  the  man  who  could 
once  more  call  himself  Beau  Arthur. 

"  Sapristi !  my  dear  fellow !  Pray  excuse  these  mani- 
festations of  surprise,"  said  Gustave;  "but,  upon  my 
word,  at  first  glance  I  didn't  recognize  you.  You  are 
superb — I  don't  exaggerate;  no  one  could  wear  hand- 
some clothes  more  gracefully." 

"  That's  a  relic  of  early  habit." 

"  Why  have  you  gotten  yourself  up  so  finely  ?  " 

"  It  was  the  least  I  could  do  to  show  my  respect  for 
such  a  friend  as  you." 

"  Let  us  go  and  dine,  and  we  will  talk." 

"  I  am  at  your  service." 


A    COMPLETE  REFORMATION 


309 


The  gentlemen  entered  the  Cafe  Anglais,  and  Gustave 
said  to  his  companion  : 

"  Order  the  dinner ;  you  know  how  to  do  it." 

"  Pardon  me,  but  I  think  I  won't  order  again,"  said 
Cherami ;  "  I  went  about  it  like  a  bull  in  a  china- 
shop;  I  don't  propose  to  do  it  any  more;  you  do  the 
ordering." 

"What  does  this  mean?  You,  a  man  who  under- 
stood life  so  well !  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  understood  it  very  ill ;  and  I  have 
changed  all  that — a  complete  reformation;  better  late 
than  never." 

Gustave  finally  decided  to  order  the  dinner;  but  at 
every  moment  his  guest  said  to  him : 

"  Enough ;  that's  quite  enough !  and  we'll  have  only 
one  kind  of  wine." 

"  Faith !  my  dear  fellow,  you  may  eat  and  drink  what 
you  choose ;  but  I  propose  to  order  to  suit  myself;  I 
haven't  turned  hermit,  you  see." 

"  Go  on,  you  are  the  master.  I  will  get  drunk,  if  you 
insist ;  it's  my  duty  to  obey  you." 

Throughout  the  first  course,  Cherami  put  water  in  his 
wine,  and  was  very  abstemious. 

"  I  shouldn't  know  you,"  said  Gustave. 

"  So  much  the  better  !  I  aim  to  be  unrecognizable ; 
but  let  us  talk  of  your  affairs :  have  you  been  to  Papa 
Gerbault's  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  saw  Adolphine,  Fanny's  younger  sister ;  still, 
as  always,  kind  and  affectionate  and  ready  to  help  me." 

"  I  have  an  idea  that  she  is  very  affectionate,  in  truth." 

"  But  I  found  her  very  much  changed — she  is  thin,  and 
she  has  lost  her  fresh  color.  One  would  say  that  the 
girl  has  some  secret  sorrow." 


3io  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  There's  nothing  impossible  in  that,  poor  child  !  And 
you  told  her  that  you  still  love  her  sister  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure ;  I  confided  to  her  all  the  hopes  which 
Fanny's  present  position  justified  me  in  forming.  Oh  !  I 
made  no  mystery  to  her  of  my  love  for  her  sister." 

"That  must  have  afforded  her  a  great  deal  of  pleasure!" 

"  Adolphine  takes  an  interest  in  my  happiness ;  if  she 
can  help  me  with  Fanny,  she  will  do  it,  I  am  sure." 

"  She  is  quite  capable  of  it.  But,  look  you,  if  you  take 
my  advice,  you  will  go  directly  to  the  young  widow,  and 
not  have  the  little  sister  for  a  constant  witness  of  your 
love  making;  it's  a  dangerous  business  for  a  heart  of  nine- 
teen years !  When  one  sees  others  making  love,  it  may 
arouse  a  longing  to  make  love  on  one's  own  account." 

"  My  dear  Arthur,  I  ask  nothing  better  than  to  go  to 
Madame  Monleard's;  but  I  must  see  her  first  at  her 
father's,  and  she  must  give  me  permission  to  call  on  her." 

"  Never  fear ;  she'll  give  you  permission.  What  about 
your  uncle  ?  have  you  spoken  to  him  about  the  revival 
of  your  hopes  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed !  he  isn't  fond  of  Fanny.  There'll  be  time 
enough  for  that  when  affairs  come  to  a  head." 

"  By  the  way,  if  I  want  to  see  you  now,  where  shall  I 
find  you  ?  I  don't  want  to  apply  to  your  uncle  again ;  he's 
an  old  curmudgeon  whom  I  can't  get  along  with.  He 
has  a  way  of  looking  at  me !  If  he  hadn't  been  your  uncle, 
we  should  have  had  it  out  before  this,  I  promise  you." 

"  My  dear  fellow,  my  uncle  is  a  most  excellent  man,  I 
give  you  my  word ;  very  just  and  fair  at  bottom  ;  a  little 
obstinate  when  he  has  formed  a  bad  opinion  of  people ; 
but  very  willing  to  revise  his  judgment  when  you  prove 
to  him  that  he  was  wrong." 

"A  noble  trait,  that !" 


A    COMPLETE  REFORMATION  311 

"  He  has  a  prejudice  against  Fanny;  he  believes  her  to 
be  incapable  of  loving ;  but  when  she  makes  me  happy, 
he  will  be  the  first  to  agree  that  he  was  wrong.  As  for 
myself,  I  have  accepted  a  very  nice  suite  of  rooms  in  his 
house,  where  I  shall  stay  till  I  marry." 

"  In  your  uncle's  house !  Then  no  one  can  see  you 
without  his  permission  ?  " 

"  Not  so ;  my  apartments  are  on  the  second  floor, 
front,  entirely  separate  from  his." 

"  Does  the  concierge  know  you  now  ?  " 

"  Yes,  never  fear;  he  knows  my  name.  Come,  my  good 
fellow,  a  glass  of  champagne  to  my  love,  to  my  union 
with  Fanny ! " 

"  You  insist  on  drinking  champagne  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly." 

"  Very  good,  if  you  insist  on  it !  We  might  well  have 
been  content  with  this  claret,  which  is  perfect." 

"  But  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  virtuous  conduct  ? 
what  revolution  has  taken  place  in  you  ?  who  has  wrought 
this  miracle  ?  " 

"  Who  ?     Don't  you  suspect  ?  " 

"  Faith,  no  !  " 

"  Well,  it  was  you,  my  dear  Gustave." 

"  I  ?     Nonsense !  " 

"  It's  the  truth,  none  the  less.  Twice  now,  you  have 
obliged  me ;  and  with  such  tact,  such  generosity " 

"  Oh !  I  beg  you " 

"  Sacrebleu !  let  me  speak ;  I  am  not  talking  blague 
now,  and  you  must  believe  me,  because  I  have  no  reason 
for  lying.  I  brought  myself  up  with  a  sharp  turn ;  I  said 
to  myself  that,  although  I  am  no  longer  young,  I  am  not 
old  enough  yet  to  live  at  other  people's  expense.  In 
short,  I  don't  propose  to  throw  money  out  of  window  any 


3i2  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

more. — Better  still :  I  am  conscious  now  of  a  desire  to 
do  something — to  work  and  occupy  my  mind.  I  used 
to  laugh  at  clerks,  at  the  men  employed  in  offices ;  but 
find  me  such  a  place,  my  friend,  and  I  promise  you  that 
I'll  fill  it  in  such  a  way  that  they  won't  turn  me  away." 

Gustave  took  Cherami's  hand  and  pressed  it  warmly. 

"  This  is  very  well  done  of  you,"  he  said ;  "  I  certainly 
can't  blame  you  for  such  good  resolutions.  If  you  keep 
to  them,  why,  I  will  look  about,  and  I  will  find  something 
for  you." 

"  Oh  !  I  shall  keep  to  them ;  my  mind  is  made  up." 

"  Meanwhile,  as  one  must  never  carry  anything  to 
excess,  there's  no  law  against  your  drinking  champagne, 
provided  you  don't  get  drunk  on  it." 

"  Very  good ;  let  us  drink  it,  then." 

"  To  my  love !  " 

"  To  your  love !  But  take  my  advice,  and  attend  to 
your  business  yourself;  don't  put  it  in  the  little  sister's 
hands  any  more." 

"  Do  you  think  her  capable  of  doing  me  a  bad  turn 
with  Fanny  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed  !  God  forbid !  she  loves  you  too  well  to 
do  you  a  bad  turn  with  anybody.  But  the  result  of  my 
experience  is  that,  in  love,  you  should  never  employ  an 
ambassador.  It's  a  waste  of  time." 

"I  will  follow  your  advice.  Thursday,  I  shall  see 
Fanny  at  her  father's,  and  I  will  ask  her  permission  to 
call  on  her." 

"  In  that  way,"  said  Cherami  to  himself,  "  that  poor 
girl  won't  have  them  making  love  under  her  nose,  at 
all  events." 


COQUETRY  313 


XLIV 

COQUETRY 

Thursday  arrived,  and  on  that  day  a  few  faithful  friends 
and  some  less  faithful  acquaintances  were  accustomed  to 
meet  at  Monsieur  Gerbault's  in  the  evening  and  play 
cards.  Among  the  faithful  friends — faithful  in  their  at- 
tendance, that  is — were  Messieurs  Clairval  and  Batonnin; 
among  those  who  came  only  occasionally  was  young 
Anatole  de  Raincy,  who,  like  a  well-bred  youth,  had 
not  taken  offence  at  Adolphine's  refusal  of  his  hand; 
and,  being  still  a  great  lover  of  music,  did  not,  because 
of  that  refusal,  renounce  the  pleasure  of  singing  duets 
with  her. 

Since  Fanny  had  been  a  widow,  she  had  come  regu- 
larly to  her  father's  to  dinner  on  Thursday ;  her  sparkling 
conversation  and  her  playful  humor,  upon  which  her 
bereavement  had  imposed  silence  for  a  fortnight  at  most, 
contributed  not  a  little  to  the  success  of  the  evening 
party.  The  young  widow,  who  knew  that  Anatole  de 
Raincy  had  sought  Adolphine's  hand  and  had  been  re- 
fused, never  failed,  when  she  found  herself  in  that  young 
gentleman's  company,  to  dart  glances  at  him  which  might 
well  have  turned  his  head,  but  for  the  fact  that,  in  order 
to  captivate  him,  a  woman  must  first  of  all  possess  a 
sweet  voice;  and  Fanny  sang  very  little,  and  then  her 
singing  was  not  true. 

So  that  Monsieur  de  Raincy  did  not  respond  to  the 
glances  of  the  pretty  widow,  who  soon  confided  to  her 


3i4  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

sister  that  that  Monsieur  Anatole  was  nothing  but  a 
canary;  that  he  ought  to  be  fed  on  nothing  but  chick- 
weed. 

On  the  day  in  question,  Adolphine,  when  she  was  joined 
by  her  sister,  whom  she  had  not  seen  during  the  week, 
experienced  a  feeling  of  discomfort  which  she  strove  to 
overcome,  saying  to  her  hurriedly : 

"  I  imagine  that  you  will  see  someone  here  this  evening 
whose  presence  will  not  be  distasteful  to  you." 

"  Ah !  whom  do  you  expect  this  evening,  pray  ?  " 

"  Monsieur  Gustave  Darlemont." 

"  Gustave !  Is  it  possible  ?  Gustave  has  returned,  and 
you  haven't  told  me  ?  " 

"You  have  only  just  come;  I  couldn't  tell  you  any 
sooner." 

"  But  when  did  he  return  ?     When  did  you  see  him  ?  " 

"  He  came  to  see  us  on  Monday ;  I  believe  he  arrived 
in  Paris  the  night  before." 

"  What !  he  has  been  here  since  Monday,  and  I  didn't 
know  it !  And  he's  coming  to-night — you  are  quite  sure  ? 
Did  father  invite  him  for  to-night  ?  " 

"  Father  didn't  actually  invite  him ;  but  he  knows  that 
we  receive  on  Thursdays,  and,  as  he  expressed  a  wish 

to  visit  us  anew And  then,  he  knows  that  he  will 

meet  you." 

"  Did  he  talk  much  about  me  ?  Does  he  act  as  if  he 
still  loved  me  ?  Oh  !  tell  me  everything  he  said,  little 
sister ;  don't  forget  a  single  thing.  It  is  very  important ; 
I  must  know  what  to  expect." 

Adolphine  made  an  effort,  and  replied  in  a  voice  trem- 
bling with  emotion : 

"Yes,  Monsieur  Gustave  told  me  that  he  still  loved 
you,  that  he  had  never  ceased  to  think  of  you." 


COQUETRY  315 

"  Oh !  how  sweet  of  him !  There's  constancy  for  you  ! 
And  they  say  that  men  can't  be  faithful ! — The  poor 
fellows :  how  they  are  slandered !  Dear  Gustave !  then 
he's  well  pleased  that  I  am  a  widow,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  You  can  understand  that  he  couldn't  quite  say  that." 

"  No,  no,  but  he  thinks  it ;  that's  enough.  And  he's 
coming  ?  Mon  Dieu  !  how  does  my  hair  look  ?  it  seems 
to  me  that  this  cap  hides  my  forehead  too  much." 

"  You  look  veiy  well ;  and,  besides,  doesn't  a  woman 
always  look  well  to  her  lover  ?  " 

"  Oh !  my  dear  girl,  in  order  to  please,  one  must  always 
try  to  look  pretty." 

And  Fanny  ran  to  a  mirror;  she  arranged  and  re- 
arranged her  hair,  took  off  her  cap  and  put  it  on  again ; 
and  finally  tossed  it  aside,  saying : 

"  I  certainly  look  better  without  a  cap." 

"But,  sister,  I  supposed  that  your  mourning  re- 
quired  " 

"  My  dear  girl,  I've  been  a  widow  more  than  six 
months ;  I  have  a  right  to  arrange  my  head  as  I  please, 
and  when  one  has  fine  hair  it's  never  a  crime  to  show  it." 

During  dinner,  Fanny  talked  incessantly  of  Gustave; 
Adolphine  said  nothing;  Monsieur  Gerbault  let  his  elder 
daughter  talk  on,  but  he  kept  a  serious  countenance  and 
looked  frequently  at  Adolphine.  At  the  time  that  she 
fainted  at  the  idea  that  Gustave  was  dead,  a  sudden  light 
had  shone  in  upon  her  father's  mind ;  but  he  had  made 
no  sign;  he  respected  his  younger  daughter's  secret, 
although  at  the  bottom  of  his  heart  he  was  the  more 
deeply  touched  by  her  suffering,  because  he  could  see 
no  way  of  putting  an  end  to  it. 

The  dinner  seemed  horribly  long  to  Fanny ;  she  asked 
for  the  coffee  before  her  father  had  finished  his  dessert, 


3i6  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

and  kept  leaving  the  table  to  look  at  herself  in  the 
mirror.  This  manoeuvre  was  repeated  so  often  that 
Monsieur  Gerbault  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to 
say  to  her,  with  a  smile : 

"  My  dear,  it  seems  to  me  that,  for  a  widow,  you  are 
rather  coquettish." 

"  In  my  opinion,  father,"  she  made  haste  to  reply, 
"a  widow  is  more  excusable  for  being  coquettish  than 
a  married  woman  whose  husband  is  alive ;  for,  you  see,  a 
widow  is  free." 

"  Yes,  no  doubt  that  is  true,  especially  when  she  has 
been  a  widow  a  long  while." 

"  Well,  do  you  call  six  months  nothing  ?  And  I  am 
in  my  seventh  !  " 

"  Yes,  indeed  !  yes,  indeed ! — Never  mind ;  the  story 
of  the  Matron  of  Ephesus  no  longer  seems  improbable 
to  me." 

"  What's  that  about  the  Matron  of  Ephesus  ?  I  don't 
know  that  story." 

"  It's  a  fable;  but  it  might  very  well  be  history,  after  all." 

"  Ah  !  did  someone  ring  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  hear  anything." 

"  How  late  your  people  come ! " 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?     It's  only  seven  o'clock." 

"  Nonsense !     Your  clock  is  slow." 

"  It  keeps  excellent  time." 

"  Oh  !  I  don't  know  what's  the  matter  with  me ;  I  can't 
keep  still." 

Adolphine  followed  her  sister  with  her  eyes,  thinking : 

"  It's  her  love  for  him  that  makes  her  so  coquettish  and 
so  impatient !  It's  very  funny ;  when  he  used  to  come 
before,  I  never  thought  of  looking  in  my  mirror;  I 
thought  of  him,  not  of  myself." 


COQUETRY  317 

At  last,  the  bell  rang ;  it  was  Monsieur  Clairval,  cold, 
phlegmatic,  taciturn.  Next  came  Madame  Mirallon,  who 
always  wore  full  dress,  even  at  small  parties.  Next  came 
a  lawyer  and  a  doctor,  enthusiastic  whist  players,  who 
were  constantly  disputing,  one  being  a  hot  partisan  of 
the  short-suit  lead,  the  other  declaring  that  a  good  player 
would  never  stoop  to  that. 

At  every  ring,  Fanny  gazed  eagerly  at  the  door ;  she 
made  a  funny  little  wry  face  when  she  saw  that  the 
person  who  appeared  was  not  he  whom  she  expected. 

"  My  gentleman  keeps  us  waiting  a  long  while !  "  she 
murmured ;  then  ran  to  her  sister. — "  Adolphine,  are  you 
sure  you  told  him  Thursday  ?  Perhaps  you  said  some 
other  day?" 

"  No.  At  all  events,  he  knows  that  we  have  always 
received  on  Thursday." 

"  He  knows,  he  knows !  When  a  man  travels  so  much, 
he  can  easily  forget.  It's  after  eight  o'clock,  and  you 
see  he  doesn't  come." 

"  Eight  o'clock  isn't  late.     Never  fear ;  he'll  come." 

"  You  think  so  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  You  are  quite  sure  that  he  still  loves  me  ?  " 

"  If  he  doesn't,  why  should  he  have  told  me  that  he 
did  ?  " 

"  Oh !  my  dear,  men  say  so  many  things  that  they 
don't  think!" 

"  I  can't  understand  how  anyone  can  lie  about  love." 

"Ah!  you  make  me  laugh;  love's  just  the  thing  they  lie 
most  about. — There's  the  bell.  This  time  it  must  be  he." 

Fanny's  expectation  was  deceived  once  more;  Mon- 
sieur Batonnin  appeared,  with  his  inevitable  smile,  and 
his  measured  words. 


3i8  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

"What  a  bore!"  muttered  the  young  woman,  moving 
uneasily  on  her  chair ;  "  it's  that  wretched  Batonnin 
— the  doll-faced  man,  as  we  used  to  call  him  at  our 
parties." 

"  Don't  you  like  him  ?  Why,  he  used  to  go  to  your 
house " 

"  Well !  what  does  that  prove  ?  Do  you  imagine  that, 
in  society,  we  are  fond  of  everybody  we  receive  ?  On 
the  contrary,  three-quarters  of  the  time  the  greatest 
pleasure  we  have  is  in  passing  all  our  guests  in  review 
and  picking  them  to  pieces." 

"  Ah  !  what  a  pitiful  sort  of  pleasure  !  But  whom 
can  you  share  it  with  ?  for,  if  you  speak  ill  of  every- 
body  " 

"You  take  a  new-comer,  and  go  and  sit  down  with 
him  in  a  corner  of  the  salon ;  and  there,  on  the  pretext 
of  telling  him  who  people  are,  you  give  everybody  a 
curry-combing.  It's  awfully  amusing !  " 

"  But  the  new-comer,  if  he  isn't  an  idiot,  must  say  to 
himself:  'As  soon  as  I  have  gone,  she'll  say  as  much 
about  me.' " 

"  Oh !  we  don't  even  wait  till  he's  gone  to  do  that." 

Monsieur  Batonnin,  having  paid  his  respects  to  Mon- 
sieur Gerbault  and  to  the  card  players,  joined  the  two 
sisters. 

"  How  are  the  charming  widow  and  her  lovely  sister  ? 
The  rose  and  the  bud — or,  rather,  two  buds — or  two 
roses ;  for,  both  being  flowers,  and  the  flowers  being  sis- 
ters, and  having  thorns — why " 

"  Come,  Monsieur  Batonnin,  make  up  your  mind.  I 
want  to  know  whether  I  am  a  rose  or  a  bud,"  said 
Fanny,  glancing  at  the  guest  with  a  mocking  ex- 
pression. 


COQUETRY  319 

"  Madame,  being  no  longer  unmarried,  you  are  neces- 
sarily a  rose." 

"  All  right ;  that  fixes  my  status !  And  my  sister  is 
a  bud?" 

"Yes,  to  be  sure — but  I  am  pained  to  observe  that 
this  charming  bud  has  drooped  a  little  on  its  stalk  for 
some  time  past." 

"  Do  you  hear,  Adolphine  ?  Monsieur  Batonnin  thinks 
that  you  are  drooping  on  your  stalk,  which  means,  I 
presume,  that  you  are  losing  your  freshness." 

"  That  isn't  exactly  what  I  meant  to  say." 

"  Don't  try  to  back  down,  Monsieur  Batonnin ;  besides, 
you  are  right;  my  sister  has  changed  of  late.  She  as- 
sures us  that  she  is  not  ill,  that  she  has  no  pain ;  for  my 
part,  I  am  convinced  that  something  is  the  matter,  but 
she  doesn't  choose  to  make  me  her  confidante." 

"  Because  I  have  nothing  to  confide,"  rejoined  Adol- 
phine, in  a  grave  tone ;  "  and  it  seems  to  me  that  mon- 
sieur might  very  well  have  avoided  this  subject." 

"  Excuse  me,  mademoiselle ;  I  should  be  much  dis- 
tressed to  have  offended  you ;  it  was  my  friendship  for 
you  which  led  me  to " 

"  I  myself,  monsieur,  have  never  been  able  to  under- 
stand the  kind  of  friendship  which  leads  one  to  say  to 
people  point-blank :  '  Mon  Dieu !  how  you  have  changed ! 
you  are  deathly  pale !  are  you  ill  ?  you  look  very  poorly ! ' 
If  the  person  to  whom  you  say  it  is  really  well,  then  you 
have  seen  awry ;  if  she  is  really  ill,  you  run  the  risk  of 
making  her  worse  by  frightening  her  as  to  her  condition. 
In  either  case,  you  see,  it  would  be  better  to  say  nothing. 
Such  manifestations  of  interest  resemble  those  of  the 
friends  who  can't  reach  you  quickly  enough  when  they 
have  bad  news  to  tell,  but  whom  you  never  see  when 


320 


MONSIEUR    CHE  RAM  I 


you  have  had  any  good  fortune  for  which  congratulations 
would  be  in  order." 

Monsieur  Batonnin  bit  his  lips,  and  tried  to  think  of  an 
answer;  but  they  had  ceased  to  pay  any  heed  to  him,  for 
the  door  of  the  salon  opened  once  more,  and  this  time  it 
was  Gustave  who  appeared. 


XLV 

JOYS  AND  TORMENTS  OF  LOVE 

The  young  man,  having  shaken  hands  with  Monsieur 
Gerbault,  walked  toward  Adolphine  and  her  sister;  it 
was  easy  to  see  how  excited  and  perturbed  he  was ;  but 
Adolphine,  whose  emotion  was  even  greater  perhaps, 
hastily  left  her  seat  and,  after  responding  to  Gustave's 
greeting,  went  to  talk  with  Monsieur  Clairval,  who  was 
not  playing  cards  at  that  moment ;  so  that  there  was  no 
one  to  interfere  with  the  interview  which  Gustave  desired 
to  have  with  her  sister. 

As  for  Fanny,  she  was  absolutely  unembarrassed ;  she 
smiled  sweetly  on  Gustave,  greeted  him  as  if  she  had  seen 
him  the  day  before,  and  said,  pointing  to  a  seat  by  her  side : 

"  So  here  you  are  at  last,  monsieur  le  voyageur !  Mon 
Dieu !  you  seem  to  be  imitating  the  Wandering  Jew 
nowadays ;  you  travel  all  the  time,  you  are  never  at  rest. 
Do  you  know,  monsieur,  that  your  friends  are  not  recon- 
ciled to  your  long  absences,  and  you  surely  will  put  an 
end  to  your  peregrinations — unless  you  have  a  fancy  to 
discover  a  new  world  ?  " 

Gustave,  bewildered  by  the  jocular  tone  in  which  the 
widow  addressed  him,  was  unable  for  a  moment  to  find 


JOYS  AND    TORMENTS  OF  LOVE  321 

words  in  which  to  reply.      Fanny  interpreted  his  con- 
fusion to  her  own  advantage,  and  continued,  but  with  a 
change  of  manner,  and  in  an  almost  sentimental  tone : 
"  Many  things  have  happened  since  we  met." 
"  Yes,  madame ;  I  have  heard  of  the — loss  you  have 
sustained ;  and  I  beg  you  to  believe  that  I  shared  the 
grief  which  you  must  have  felt." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it ;  you  have  so  much  delicacy  of  feel- 
ing, Monsieur  Gustave !  Yes,  I  had  a  very  cruel  expe- 
rience, although  Monsieur  Monleard  hardly  deserved  the 
tears  I  shed  for  him.  He  was  a  proud  man,  overflowing 
with  vanity,  hard-hearted,  loving  only  himself,  conceited, 
self-sufficient ;  but  he  is  dead,  I  don't  mean  to  speak  ill 
of  him,  although  he  left  me  in  a  decidedly  equivocal 
position.  Ah  !  if  I  had  known — if  I  could  have  foreseen. 
I  have  bitterly  regretted  what — what "  Then,  sud- 
denly changing  her  tone  again,  and  becoming  playful 
once  more:  "You  are  just  from  Berlin,  I  hear?  Is 
there  much  fun  there  ?  Are  the  balls  gorgeous  ?  do  the 
women  dress  well  ?  does  everybody  go  to  the  theatre  ? 
The  Germans  are  very  fond  of  music ;  you  must  have 
gone  to  concerts  and  evening  parties  and  the  play  a  great 
deal.  Ah  !  what  fortunate  creatures  men  are !  They 
can  do  whatever  they  please,  while  we  poor  women  are 
obliged  to  stay  at  home,  and,  in  many  cases,  never  have 
anyone  come  to  see  us !  That's  the  way  I've  been  living 
for  six  months  ;  and  I  am  terribly  bored  ;  oh  !  terribly !  " 
"You  had  your  sister,  at  least,  to  share  your  troubles." 
"  My  sister !  She's  a  lively  creature,  isn't  she  ?  I  don't 
know  what's  been  the  matter  with  her  lately,  but  she's 
a  regular  extinguisher.  And  then,  you  know,  my  tem- 
perament isn't  like  Adolphine's ;  she  is  melancholy  by 
nature,  and  I  am  very  light-headed.  Don't  you  remember, 


322  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

Gustave  ?  Heavens !  what  a  mad  creature  I  am  !  here  I 
am  calling  you  Gustave,  just  as  I  used  to  before  I  was 
married !  Does  that  offend  you  ?  " 

"Oh!  you  can't  think  it;  it  reminds  me  of  such  a 
happy  time ! " 

"Why,  I  don't  see  but  that  that  time  has  come  back ;  for 
we  are  in  the  same  position  that  we  were  then — almost." 

Gustave  could  not  restrain  a  sigh  at  that  almost.  The 
young  widow  made  haste  to  continue : 

"And  now  that  I  am  free,  that  I  am  my  own  mistress, 
won't  you  do  me  the  favor  of  coming  to  see  me  some- 
times, Monsieur  Gustave  ?  Won't  you  have  a  little  pity 
on  the  tedium  of  a  poor  widow,  who  was  so  anxious  for 
you  to  come  back,  who  talked  about  you  every  day  with 
Adolphine  ?  " 

"  What,  madame !  can  it  be  true  ?  you  have  thought 
sometimes  of  me  ?  " 

"  He  asks  me  if  I  have  thought  of  him!  he  doubts  it! — 
Is  it  because  you  had  altogether  forgotten  me  ?  " 

"  I,  forget  you  ?  Ah  !  that  would  be  impossible !  Your 
lovely  features  are  engraved  on  my  heart,  on  my  mind. 
Although  far  from  you,  I  saw  you  all  the  time.  Ah ! 
Fanny,  when  one  has  once  loved  you. — But,  pardon  me, 
madame,  I  am  losing  my  head ;  I  call  you  Fanny,  as  I  used." 

"  That  doesn't  offend  me  in  the  least ;  on  the  contrary, 
I  like  it.  But  just  see  what  faces  Monsieur  Batonnin  is 
making  at  us !  One  would  say  that  he  was  trying  to 
throw  his  eyes  at  us.  Mon  Dieu !  how  funny  he  is  when 
he  looks  like  that!  Ha!  ha!  ha!  it's  enough  to  kill  one." 

"  Madame  Monleard  is  in  great  spirits  to-night,"  said 
Monsieur  Clairval  to  Monsieur  Batonnin,  who  replied : 

"I've  noticed  that  she's  been  in  much  better  spirits 
ever  since  she's  been  a  widow." 


JOYS  AND    TORMENTS  OF  LOVE  323 

"  That  Monsieur  Batonnin,  with  his  soft-spoken  ways, 
always  has  something  unkind  to  say,"  muttered  Madame 
de  Mirallon. 

"And  he  smears  honey  on  his  words,  to  make  them  go 
down ;  that's  the  custom." 

Adolphine  had  walked  mechanically  to  the  piano ;  she 
was  suffering  intensely,  she  would  have  liked  to  leave 
the  salon,  but  she  dared  not,  because  it  would  have 
worried  her  father.  To  make  her  misery  complete, 
Monsieur  Batonnin  joined  her. 

"Are  we  going  to  have  the  pleasure  of  hearing  you 
sing,  mademoiselle  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur ;  I  could  not  possibly  sing ;  I  have  a 
very  sore  throat." 

"  I  trust,  mademoiselle,  that  you  are  not  still  offended 
with  me  because  I  thought  that  you  looked  ill  ?  " 

"  Oh !  not  at  all,  monsieur ;  indeed,  I  think  that  you 
must  have  been  right,  for  I  don't  feel  very  well  this 
evening." 

"  Madame  your  sister  is  well  enough  for  two,  I  judge, 
she  is  in  such  good  spirits ;  she  seems  to  be  talking  a 
good  deal  with  that  gentleman.  Isn't  he  the  same  one 
who  was  with  you  one  morning  when  I  came  to  your 
room  with  your  father  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur;  that  is  he." 

"  He  was  very  dismal  then ;  it  seems  that  his  gloom 
has  disappeared,  for  he  is  laughing  heartily  with  your 
sister.  Are  they  acquainted  ?  " 

"  Why,  to  be  sure ;  Monsieur  Gustave  is  an  old  friend 
of  ours." 

"Very  good!  I  said  to  myself:  'Madame  Monleard 
doesn't  stand  much  on  ceremony  with  that  young  man ; 
he  must  be  an  old  acquaintance,  at  least.'  " 


324  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

To  avoid  listening  any  longer  to  Monsieur  Batonninr 
Adolphine  seated  herself  by  the  whist  table,  and  pre- 
tended to  watch  the  game ;  but,  sit  where  she  would,  she 
heard  her  sister's  exclamations,  whispering,  and  laughter, 
and  the  evening  seemed  endless  to  her. 

At  last  the  clock  struck  eleven ;  Fanny  rose  and  prepared 
to  take  her  leave.  Gustave  looked  at  her,  as  if  undecided 
as  to  what  he  should  do,  but  the  young  widow  observed  : 

"  Monsieur  Clairval  is  playing  whist ;  besides,  I  don't 
want  him  always  to  have  the  trouble  of  going  home 
with  me ;  and  as  Monsieur  Gustave  is  here,  perhaps  he 
would  be  willing  to  escort  me  as  far  as  my  door." 

Gustave's  face  beamed;  he  hastened  to  say  that  he 
should  be  too  happy  to  offer  her  his  arm.  Whereupon, 
Fanny  made  haste  to  say  good-night  to  her  father  and 
sister. 

The  young  man,  in  his  turn,  went  to  Adolphine,  and 
said  to  her  in  an  undertone : 

"  Dear  little  sister,  I  am  a  very  happy  man  !  She  has 
given  me  permission  to  call  on  her;  she  has  even  given 
me  to  understand  that  she  regrets  having  refused  to 
marry  me;  in  short,  she  is  touched  by  my  constancy." 

"  It  is  well ;  be  happy,  that  is  my  dearest  wish ;  and, 
above  all  things,  go  to  my  sister's ;  that  will  be  much 
better,  believe  me,  than  to  come  to  court  her  here." 

Gustave  was  about  to  reply,  but  Fanny  called  him  and 
took  him  away.  Thereupon  Adolphine  went  to  her  room, 
saying  to  herself: 

"Such  evenings  as  this  are  too  horrible;  I  shall  not 
have  the  courage  to  endure  them  often.  Oh !  let  them 
be  happy  together!  but  I  pray  that  he  may  not  come 
here  any  more,  that  I  may  not  be  forced  to  be  a  witness 
of  his  love  for  another  ! " 


CHERAMI  ACTS  LIKE  SAINT  ANTHONY          325 


XLV1 

IN  WHICH  CHERAMI  ACTS  LIKE  SAINT  ANTHONY 

Gustave  did  not  fail  to  take  advantage  of  the  permis- 
sion Fanny  had  accorded  him.  Two  days  after  the  party 
at  which  they  had  met,  he  called  upon  the  young  widow, 
who  greeted  him  thus  : 

"  I  began  to  think  that  you  were  off  on  your  travels 
again,  and  that  we  shouldn't  see  you  for  another  six 
months." 

"  Oh !  I  have  no  desire  to  travel  now ;  I  am  too  happy 
in  Paris ;  especially  if  you  allow  me  to  come  to  see 
you." 

"  What  good  does  it  do  for  me  to  allow  it,  when  you 
don't  come  ?  I  expected  you  the  day  before  yesterday,  I 
expected  you  yesterday." 

"  I  was  afraid  of  being  presumptuous  if  I  took  advan- 
tage too  soon  of  the  permission  you  gave  me." 

"  I  thought  that  you  wouldn't  stand  on  ceremony,  and 
that  we  should  be  on  the  same  terms  together  as  before 
my  marriage  to  Monsieur  Monleard." 

These  words  were  accompanied  by  such  a  soft  glance 
that  Gustave  no  longer  doubted  that  he  was  loved.  He 
took  Fanny's  hand  and  covered  it  with  kisses;  she  did  not 
resist,  and  her  hand  responded  tenderly  to  the  pressure 
of  his.  Any  other  than  Gustave  would  probably  have 
carried  further  his  desires  and  his  acts,  but  he  had  long 
been  accustomed  to  look  upon  Fanny  as  the  woman 
whom  he  wished  to  make  his  wife ;  and  in  his  love  there 


326  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

was  a  sort  of  respect  which  her  widow's  dress  could  not 
fail  to  intensify. 

So  Gustave  confined  himself  to  repeating  that  he  had 
never  ceased  to  be  enamored  of  her  whom  he  had  hoped 
to  call  his  wife,  and  that  he  would  be  very,  very  happy  if 
his  hopes  could  be  gratified  at  last.  For  her  part,  Fanny 
gave  him  to  understand  that  while  she  might  once  have 
been  ambitious  and  fickle,  those  failings  should  be  charged 
to  her  age  and  consequent  giddiness,  and  that,  in  reality, 
her  heart  had  never  been  in  agreement  with  her  vanity. 

Then  the  young  widow,  by  a  natural  transition,  adroitly 
led  Gustave  on  to  speak  of  his  position  and  prospects. 
He  was  assured  of  ten  thousand  francs  a  year  if  he 
remained  in  his  uncle's  banking-house ;  he  could  hope 
for  more  in  the  future ;  to  be  sure,  Monsieur  Grandcourt 
would  not  be  pleased  to  have  his  nephew  marry,  but 
he  would  place  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  execution 
of  his  project.  They  would  not  live  in  the  banker's  house, 
but  would  take  pleasant  apartments  not  far  from  his 
offices;  they  would  keep  no  carriage;  he  would  take 
his  wife  to  the  theatre  very  often,  and  to  the  country ; 
he  would  not  give  her  diamonds,  but  she  should  have 
handsome  dresses,  and,  as  she  was  charming  in  herself, 
she  would  always  be  the  loveliest  of  women,  even  if  she 
were  not  covered  with  jewels. 

In  such  conversation  as  this,  forming  the  most  attractive 
plans  for  the  future,  the  hours  which  Gustave  passed  at 
Fanny's  side  seemed  very  short.  Being  entirely  at  lib- 
erty to  see  his  love  at  her  own  home,  he  went  much  less 
to  Monsieur  Gerbault's.  As  for  Adolphine,  she  did  not 
go  to  her  sister's  at  all ;  for  she  knew  that  she  would  meet 
Gustave  there,  and  she  avoided  his  presence  as  much  as 
possible. 


CHE  KAMI  ACTS  LIKE  SAINT  ANTHONY          327 

Two  months  passed  thus,  during  which  time  Cherami 
saw  very  little  of  Gustave,  who  spent  with  Fanny  all  the 
time  that  he  could  spare  from  his  business. 

But  one  morning,  just  as  our  lover  was  starting  to  call 
on  his  enslaver,  Cherami  caught  him  on  the  wing. 

"  Par  la  sambleu !  my  dear  Gustave,  is  there  no  way 
of  having  a  word  with  you  ?  Have  you  nothing  to  say 
to  your  friend  ?  Or  am  I  no  longer  your  friend  ?  One 
would  say  that  you  avoided  me ! " 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  Arthur,  far  from  it ;  it  always  gives 
me  great  pleasure  to  see  you ;  but  you  are  well  aware 
that  I  am  in  love,  more  in  love  than  ever,  and  that  I 
pass  with  Fanny  all  the  time  I  can  steal  from  my 
duties." 

"  Very  good !  and  tell  me  about  this  love  of  yours ; 
sapristi !  are  you  satisfied  ?  Does  it  go  as  you  want  it 
to  this  time  ?  Tell  me  that  much,  at  least." 

"  Ah !  my  friend,  I  am  the  happiest  of  men !  Fanny 
loves  me;  I  can't  possibly  doubt  it  now.  As  soon  as 
her  mourning  is  at  an  end,  we  are  to  be  married ;  we  are 
already  making  our  plans,  our  projects  for  the  future ; 
next  month,  as  it  will  be  almost  ten  months  then,  we 
shall  begin  to  look  about  for  apartments,  which  I  shall 
have  furnished  and  decorated  in  advance.  I  intend  that 
Fanny  shall  find  them  fascinating." 

"  Well,  I  see  that  everything  is  going  all  right.  The 
little  woman  is  yours  this  time — and  you  think  so  much 
of  her! — And  her  sister,  the  good  Adolphine — do  you 
still  see  her  ?  " 

"  I  have  seen  very  little  of  her  lately ;  she  never  comes 
to  her  sister's,  and  that  surprises  me;  twice  I  have  tried  to 
talk  with  Adolphine,  to  tell  her  that  my  marriage  to  Fanny 
was  settled ;  but  I  couldn't  find  her,  she  had  gone  out ; 


328  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

for  I  can't  believe  that  she  would  have  refused  to  see 
me — her  brother." 

"  In  all  this  excitement,  you  haven't  thought  about  a 
place  for  me,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Pardon  me,  I  did  mention  it  to  my  uncle.  He  doesn't 
seem  to  believe  that  you  are  serious  in  your  desire  for 
employment." 

"  Ah  !  pardieu,  if  your  uncle  has  got  to  have  a  hand 
in  it,  I  am  very  certain  that  I  shall  never  get  a  place ! " 

"  Never  fear ;  I  will  attend  to  it  myself,  but  there's  no 
hurry.  Are  you  in  need  of  money  ?  Tell  me." 

"  Why,  no,  I  am  not  in  need  of  money.  Do  you  sup- 
pose that  I  have  already  gone  through  the  thousand 
francs  you  loaned  me  ?  " 

"  But  that  was  more  than  two  months  ago,  and " 

"  True,  and  formerly  I  should  have  seen  the  last  of  it 
in  a  week ;  I  should  have  made  only  seven  mouthfuls 
of  it.  But  to-day  it's  different!  I  told  you  that  I  had 
reformed.  I  have  discovered,  just  at  the  beginning  of 
Boulevard  du  Temple,  a  soup  dealer  who  supplies  din- 
ners ;  and  delicious  dinners,  too,  on  my  word  of  honor ! 
you  don't  have  a  great  variety  of  dishes,  to  be  sure ;  but 
everything  is  good.  Excellent  roast  beef;  you  would 
fancy  you  were  in  London;  and  you  can  dine  abundantly 
for  eighteen  sous.  Eighteen  sous !  I  used  to  give  more 
than  that  to  the  waiter." 

"  My  friend,  you  shouldn't  go  to  extremes  in  anything ; 
it  seems  to  me  that  you  are  carrying  your  reformation 
too  far." 

"  I  am  very  well  pleased ;  I  believe  that  I  shall  end  by 
living  on  my  five  hundred  and  fifty  francs  a  year ;  when 
that  time  comes,  I  propose  to  parade  the  streets  between 
two  clarionets,  to  exhibit  myself." 


CHER  AMI  ACTS  LIKE  SAINT  ANTHONY  329 

"  After  I  am  married,  I  will  find  you  a  suitable  place." 

"  Make  haste  and  marry,  then,  that  I  may  have  my 
cue.  By  the  way,  I  venture  to  believe  that  it  won't  come 
off  without  notice  to  me  ?  I  don't  ask  to  be  invited  to 
the  wedding;  that  would  be  presumptuous;  but  I  desire, 
at  least,  to  salute  the  bridal  couple  when  they  leave  the 
church." 

"  And  I  propose  that  you  shall  be  of  the  wedding 
party.  We  shall  not  give  a  ball, — her  widowhood  is  too 
recent, — but  a  handsome  banquet,  and  I  hope  that,  on 
that  day,  you  will  forget  your  reformation.  But,  adieu ! 
I  am  late,  she  is  expecting  me.  You  will  hear  from 
me  soon." 

"  A  mighty  good  fellow  !  "  said  Cherami  to  himself,  as 
Gustave  hurried  away ;  "  he  deserves  to  be  happy !  But 
will  he  be,  with  his  Fanny  ?  Hum !  I'm  none  too  sure 
of  it.  For  my  part,  I  should  prefer  the  other;  but  as 
he's  in  love  with  this  one — to  be  sure,  she's  a  very  pretty 
woman,  but  I,  old  fox  that  I  am,  I  wouldn't  trust  her ! — 
Sapristi !  what  do  I  see  ?  My  two  little  pearls,  Laurette 
and  Lucie,  and  I  have  money  in  my  pocket !  But,  no ; 
by  Saint  Anthony,  I  will  not  yield  to  the  temptation ! 
Let's  be  off  before  they  see  me." 

Laurette  and  Lucie  were,  in  fact,  coming  toward  Cher- 
ami,  both  dressed  with  much  coquetry  and  looking  very 
attractive ;  but  he,  after  heaving  a  profound  sigh,  retreated 
with  so  much  precipitation,  that  he  ran  into  the  door  of 
an  omnibus,  which  had  stopped  for  a  lady ;  and,  being 
urged  by  the  conductor,  he  concluded  to  enter  also. 


330  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 


XLVII 

THE  RETURN  FROM   ITALY 

Several  weeks  passed.  It  was  a  Thursday;  and  Fanny, 
who  had  not  been  at  her  father's  for  a  long  time,  said  to 
Gustave  when  she  saw  him  during  the  day : 

"  I  must  go  to  dine  with  father  to-day,  my  dear ;  I  trust 
that  you  will  come  there  this  evening  ?  " 

"  As  you  will  be  there,  you  may  be  certain  that  I  will 
come.  By  the  way,  I  saw  that  there  was  an  apartment 
to  rent  in  a  nice  house  on  Rue  Fontaine.  Do  you  like 
that  quarter  ?  " 

"  Very  much." 

"  Very  well ;  I  will  go  some  time  to-day  to  look  at 
it,  and  if  it  seems  to  me  to  be  suitable  I  will  tell  you  this 
evening,  so  that  you  can  go  to  see  it.  For  ten  months 
have  passed ;  the  time  is  not  very  far  away  when  I  shall 
be  able  to  call  you  my  wife !  so  it  is  none  too  soon  for 
me  to  see  about  getting  an  apartment  ready." 

"  Do  so,  my  dear ;  you  can  tell  me  to-night  if  you  have 
found  what  we  want." 

About  five  o'clock,  the  widow  went  to  her  father's. 
Monsieur  Gerbault  always  welcomed  his  daughter  kindly, 
and  Adolphine  did  her  utmost  to  smile  on  her  sister. 

"  So  you're  really  going  to  marry  Gustave  this  time, 
are  you  ?  "  said  Monsieur  Gerbault. 

"Why  shouldn't  I,  father?  Do  you  think  I  shall  be 
doing  wrong  ?  " 

"  No — but  I  regret  that  you  didn't  marry  him  a  year 
ago." 


THE  RETURN  FROM  ITALY  331 

"  Why,  father,  it  seems  to  me  that  I  acted  very  wisely ! 
Gustave  had  only  a  very  modest  salary  then.  Monsieur 
Monleard  offered  me  a  fortune,  and  I  could  not  hesitate ; 
the  sequel  didn't  come  up  to  my  hopes ;  but  certainly  no 
one  could  have  foreseen  that." 

"  But  you  are  very  lucky  to  fall  in  with  a  man  who 
still  loves  you  after  you  have  once  cast  him  off." 

"  Mon  Dieu !  father,  if  Gustave  had  not  loved  me, 
some  other  man  would  have  turned  up — that's  all  there 
is  to  that." 

"  Possibly ;  at  all  events,  I  see  that  you  have  an  answer 
for  everything." 

Adolphine  listened  to  her  sister  with  an  air  of  amaze- 
ment, but  she  did  not  venture  to  make  a  single  reflection ; 
she  kept  to  herself  the  thoughts  which  Fanny's  re- 
marks inspired ;  and  she  avoided,  so  far  as  she  possibly 
could,  any  conversation  with  her  on  the  subject  of  her 
approaching  marriage  to  Gustave. 

The  evening  brought  to  Monsieur  Gerbault's  salon  his 
faithful  whist  players,  and  Gustave,  who  shook  hands 
warmly  with  the  man  whom  he  already  looked  upon 
as  his  father-in-law,  and  affectionately  with  Adolphine. 
She,  by  an  involuntary  movement,  withdrew  her  hand  at 
first ;  but  the  next  moment  she  forced  herself  to  smile, 
and  offered  her  hand  to  Gustave,  saying : 

"  I  beg  your  pardon.  I  thought  you  were  Monsieur 
de  Raincy." 

"  And  she  absolutely  refuses  to  give  her  hand  to  him," 
said  Fanny,  with  a  laugh,  "  although  he  offers  his  name 
in  exchange  for  it.  Don't  you  think,  Gustave,  that  she 
makes  a  great  mistake  in  refusing  that  young  man  ?  " 

"  Why  so,  if  she  doesn't  love  him  ?  " 

"  As  if  people  married  for  love !  " 


332  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

Realizing  that  she  had  said  something  which  might 
distress  Gustave,  the  young  woman  hastily  added : 

"  When  a  woman  has  never  been  married,  she  ought 
to  be  reasonable;  with  a  widow,  it's  different;  she  can 
afford  to  obey  the  dictates  of  her  heart." 

These  words  speedily  restored  the  serenity  of  Gus- 
tave's  brow,  which  had  become  a  little  clouded.  A 
moment  later,  Monsieur  Batonnin  arrived,  and,  having 
saluted  the  company,  said,  with  a  radiant  expression : 

"  I  have  just  met  someone,  whom  you  will  probably 
see  this  evening,  for  when  I  said :  '  I  am  going  to  pass  the 
evening  at  Monsieur  Gerbault's,'  he  exclaimed :  '  Oh !  I 
mean  to  go  there,  too,  if  only  for  a  moment.'  " 

"  Who  is  it  ?  "  queried  Monsieur  Gerbault. 

"Someone  who  is  very  agreeable — just  back  from 
Italy.  What !  can't  you  guess  ?  Monsieur  le  Comte 
de  la  Beriniere." 

"Ah !  the  dear  count !     Has  he  returned  ?  " 

"Only  yesterday.  He  instantly  asked  me  for  all  the  news. 
When  I  told  him  that  Madame  Monleard  was  a  widow,  he 
was  tremendously  surprised ;  he  couldn't  get  over  it." 

"  Mon  Dieu !  how  stupid  that  man  is ! "  muttered  Gus- 
tave, glancing  at  Fanny. 

Since  the  announcement  of  the  Comte  de  la  Beriniere's 
return,  she  seemed  disturbed  and  preoccupied.  In  a  few 
moments,  she  left  her  seat  between  her  sister  and  Gus- 
tave, went  to  the  window  for  a  moment,  as  if  to  get  a 
breath  of  air,  and  then,  instead  of  returning  to  her  former 
seat,  sat  down  near  the  whist  table. 

Adolphine  followed  her  sister  with  her  eyes,  and  did 
not  lose  a  single  one  of  her  movements.  Meanwhile, 
Gustave,  seeing  Fanny  seat  herself  at  a  distance,  drew 
nearer  to  Adolphine,  and  said: 


THE   RETURN  FROM  ITALY  333 

"  Your  sister,  I  see,  wishes  me  to  tell  you  of  our  de- 
lightful plans  for  the  future ;  for  I  have  had  no  chance  to 
talk  with  you  lately,  dear  Adolphine ;  I  have  been  here 
several  times,  but  have  failed  to  find  you." 

"  Yes,  I  know  it." 

"  I  think  that  you  are  not  indifferent  to  what  interests 
me,  that  you  take  pleasure  in  my  happiness.  You  saw  me 
when  I  was  so  unhappy!  I  am  sure  that  you  want  to  see 
me  happy  now." 

"  Yes,  of  course  I  do.  A  love  like  yours  well  deserves 
to  be  reciprocated." 

Gustave  began  to  lay  before  Adolphine  all  the  plans 
he  had  formed  for  the  future,  when  he  should  be  her 
brother-in-law.  Adolphine  listened  with  only  half  an 
ear;  she  seemed  much  more  interested  in  watching  her 
sister,  who  pretended  to  take  a  deep  interest  in  the 
game  of  whist ;  but  soon  the  arrival  of  the  Comte  de 
la  Beriniere  caused  a  general  movement.  Everyone 
congratulated  the  traveller  on  the  happy  influence 
which  the  climate  of  Italy  seemed  to  have  had  on  his 
health. 

"  Yes,  I  am  very  well  indeed,"  said  the  count,  who, 
after  bowing  coldly  to  Adolphine,  eagerly  approached 
her  sister.  "  Italy's  a  very  beautiful  country,  but  it  isn't 
equal  to  France,  especially  Paris !  I  tell  you,  there  is 
nothing  like  our  Parisian  women ;  and  what  I  look  at 
first  of  all,  in  any  country,  is  the  women." 

"  Still,  you  have  stayed  away  a  long  while,  monsieur 
le  comte,"  said  the  widow,  motioning  to  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere  to  take  a  seat  by  her  side,  the  gesture  being 
accompanied  by  her  most  charming  smile. 

The  count  hastened  to  obey ;  and  said  to  her,  almost 
in  a  whisper : 


334  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  I  have,  in  truth,  been  absent  more  than  a  year ;  and, 
meanwhile,  certain  things  have  happened  which  it  was 
impossible  to  foresee.  Permit  me  to  offer  you  my  con- 
dolence on  your  widowhood." 

"  Yes,  I  am  a  widow,  I  have  become  free  again ;  it  is 
more  than  ten  months  since  it  happened.  Truly,  it  could 
hardly  have  been  anticipated !  You  must  find  me  greatly 
changed,  do  you  not  ?  I  have  grown  old  and  thin — and 
then,  this  costume  is  so  dismal ! " 

"  In  other  words,  you  are  still  captivating ;  indeed,  if 
such  a  thing  were  possible,  I  should  say  that  you  are 
even  lovelier  than  you  were.  As  for  your  dress — what 
does  that  matter  ?  You  adorn  whatever  you  wear." 

"Oh!  monsieur  le  comte,  you  flatter  me;  you  don't 
mean  what  you  say." 

"  Do  I  not  ?  I  mean  it  and  feel  it ;  you  are  an  en- 
chantress !  " 

"  Italy  is  where  you  must  have  seen  the  pretty  women ! " 

"  Yes,  there  are  many  of  them  there ;  but  I  say  again, 
they  can't  hold  a  candle  to  Parisian  women  in  general, 
and  to  you  in  particular." 

"  Oh !  hush !  Are  you  no  longer  in  love  with  my 
sister?" 

"  Your  sister  ?  Faith !  no ;  she  refused  my  hand ;  I  bear 
her  no  ill-will  for  it;  for,  frankly,  I  am  very  glad  of  it  now." 

'"  Why  so,  pray  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  I  can't  tell  you  here." 

"  Very  well !  then  you  must  come  to  see  me,  and 
tell  me." 

"  Do  you  give  me  leave  to  come  to  pay  my  respects 
to  you  ?  " 

"  More  than  that,  I  count  upon  it." 

"  You  are  adorable." 


THE  RETURN  FROM  ITALY  335 

It  seemed  to  Gustave  that  Fanny's  conversation  with 
the  count  was  unconscionably  long.  He  could  not  see 
all  the  coquettish  little  grimaces  with  which  the  widow 
accompanied  her  words,  because  she  had  taken  pains  to 
turn  her  chair  so  that  she  was  not  facing  the  man  she 
was  to  marry ;  but  he  thought  it  very  strange  that  Fanny 
could  pass  so  long  a  time  without  thinking  of  him,  with- 
out wanting  him  near  her.  The  young  man  walked 
through  the  salon,  gazing  at  the  young  widow,  and 
sometimes  stopping  beside  her.  She  did  not  appear  to 
pay  the  slightest  heed  to  him. 

Being  unable  longer  to  control  his  impatience,  he  de- 
cided to  interrupt  their  conversation,  and  said  aloud  to 
Fanny : 

"  My  dear  Fanny,  I  went  to-day  to  see  that  apartment 
on  Rue  Fontaine — you  know — that  I  spoke  to  you  about 
this  morning  ?  " 

The  widow  was  perceptibly  annoyed.  However,  she 
replied,  with  a  surprised  air : 

"  What !  what  apartment  ?  I  don't  remember.  Oh ! 
yes,  yes,  I  know  what  you  mean." 

"  Well,  the  apartment  is  very  well  arranged  and  very 
attractive.  I  am  confident  that  you  will  like  it ;  but  you 
must  look  at  it  immediately,  for  the  chances  are  that  it 
will  be  let  very  soon." 

"  Very  well,  very  well ;  I  will  go  to  look  at  it. — Oh  ! 
Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  you  went  to  Naples,  didn't  you  ? 
Did  you  see  Vesuvius  vomit  flame  ?  That  is  something 
I  am  very  curious  to  see.  Do  tell  me  what  a  volcano 
is  like?" 

Gustave  walked  away,  far  from  satisfied.  It  seemed  to 
him  that  his  future  spouse  was  too  deeply  interested  in 
Italy.  He  returned  to  Adolphine,  lost  in  thought,  and 


336  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

sat  down  beside  her.  She  said  nothing,  but  she  looked 
at  him  and  read  his  thoughts. 

Monsieur  Gerbault  succeeded  at  last  in  talking  with 
the  count.  Whereupon  Gustave  returned  to  Fanny,  and 
said  to  her : 

"Aren't  we  going?  You  said  that  you  should  go 
home  early." 

But  the  little  widow,  who  did  not  choose  to  have  the 
count  see  her  go  away  with  Gustave,  replied : 

"  It's  too  early ;  my  father  would  be  angry  if  I  should 
go  now." 

"  But  you  said " 

"  Mon  Dieu!  you  seem  to  be  in  a  great  hurry  to  go  !  " 

Gustave  bit  his  lips  and  said  no  more.  Monsieur 
Batonnin  joined  him,  and  said  with  a  smile: 

"You  don't  seem  to  be  doing  anything,  Monsieur 
Gustave.  Don't  you  play  cards  ?  " 

"  I  don't  care  for  cards,  monsieur." 

"  You  prefer  to  talk  with  the  ladies — I  can  understand 
that.  You  have  been  travelling,  too ;  and  the  ladies  like 
to  hear  about  travels.  Have  you  seen  any  volcanoes  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur." 

And  Gustave  turned  his  back  on  Batonnin,  who  smiled 
at  his  own  reflection  in  a  mirror. 

The  count  soon  took  his  hat,  and  was  about  to  with- 
draw, without  a  word,  as  the  custom  is  in  society ;  but 
Fanny,  who  had  kept  her  eyes  on  him,  found  an  ex- 
cuse for  standing  in  his  path,  and  said  to  him  in  an 
undertone : 

"  I  shall  expect  you  to-morrow." 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  replied  by  a  graceful  inclina- 
tion, and  disappeared. 

A  few  moments  later,  Fanny  said  to  Gustave : 


THE  RETURN  FROM  ITALY  337 

"Well,  monsieur;  if  you  want  to  go,  I  am  at  your 
service." 

"  I  am  at  yours,  rather,  madame." 

"  Let  us  go." 

Adolphine  went  up  to  Gustave  of  her  own  motion,  and 
pressed  his  hand  affectionately. 

In  the  street,  the  young  man  began : 

"  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere's  conversation  evidently  in- 
terested you  very  much?  You  talked  with  nobody 
but  him ;  you  left  your  sister  and  me,  and  forgot  all 
about  us." 

"Why,  I  enjoyed  listening  to  what  he  told  me  about 
Italy.  He  is  very  pleasant,  and  amusing  to  listen  to.  I 
didn't  suppose  that  you  would  see  any  harm  in  that." 

"  I  see  no  harm  in  the  conversation ;  but  I  am  horribly 
bored  when  you  talk  to  anybody  else  for  long.  I  am 
sorry  that  you  don't  feel  the  same  way." 

"  Oh !  what  childishness !  As  if  I  were  not  always 
there ! — How  my  head  does  ache !  I  shall  have  a  sick 
headache  to-morrow,  I  am  sure." 

"  You  will  go  to  look  at  that  apartment,  won't  you  ? " 

"  Yes,  if  my  head  doesn't  ache ;  but  if  it  does,  I  cer- 
tainly shall  not  stir  from  my  bed." 

They  arrived  at  Fanny's  door,  and  the  future  husband 
and  wife  parted  much  more  coldly  than  usual. 

The  next  morning,  the  young  widow  gave  these  orders 
to  her  servant : 

"  If  Monsieur  le  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  calls,  you  will 
admit  him  at  once.  If  Monsieur  Gustave  comes,  you 
will  tell  him  that  I  have  a  sick  headache,  that  I  am 
asleep ;  and  you  will  not  let  him  in  on  any  pretext.  Do 
you  understand  ?  " 

"  Yes,  madame." 


338  MONSIEUR   CHER  AM  I 

Fanny  took  the  greatest  pains  with  her  hair,  her  dress, 
and  every  part  of  her  toilet ;  she  omitted  nothing  that 
was  adapted  to  captivate,  to  dazzle,  to  seduce. 

At  one  o'clock,  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  was  ushered 
into  the  pretty  creature's  boudoir,  where  she  awaited  him, 
seated  in  a  graceful  attitude  on  a  sofa,  and  motioned 
him  to  a  seat  by  her  side. 

"  You  see,  fair  lady,  that  I  take  advantage  of  the  per- 
mission accorded  me,"  said  the  count,  gallantly  kissing 
Fanny's  little  hand. 

"  It  was  presumptuous  in  me,  perhaps,  to  tell  you  that 
I  expected  you ;  but  I  wanted  to  talk  with  you,  and  one 
has  little  chance  to  talk  in  society." 

"You  give  me  the  most  delicious  pleasure — a  tete- 
a-tete  with  you !  It  is  a  priceless  favor  to  me.  It  is 
very  true  that  in  society  it  is  difficult  to  say — all  that 
one  thinks;  and  last  night,  at  your  father's,  there  was 
a  young  man  who  seemed  to  be  vexed  at  our  conver- 
sation." 

"  Oh  !  Gustave. — He's  an  old  play -fellow  of  mine." 

"An  old  play-fellow?  Isn't  he  something  more  than 
that?" 

"What!  what  do  you  mean?" 

"Stay,  charming  widow,  I  will  explain  my  mean- 
ing without  beating  about  the  bush.  Yesterday,  when 
he  told  me  that  you  were  a  widow,  Monsieur  Baton- 
nin  told  me  also  that  you  were  to  marry  again  very 
soon." 

"  Mon  Dieu !  what  a  chatterbox  that  Monsieur  Baton- 
nin  is  !  what  business  is  it  of  his  ?  " 

"  It  is  quite  possible  that  he's  a  chatterbox ;  but,  tell 
me,  is  it  the  truth  ?  Are  you  going  to  marry  Monsieur 
Gustave,  your  old  play-fellow  ?  " 


THE  RETURN  FROM  ITALY  339 

"  Yes,  it  is  true  that  there  has  been  some  talk  of  mar- 
riage between  us ;  but  it's  a  long  way  from  that  to  an 
actual  marriage." 

"  Really — you  are  not  actually  engaged  to  him  ?  " 

"  Engaged  ?     Not  by  any  means  !  " 

"  But — that  apartment  that  he  spoke  about  last  night, 
that  he  asked  you  to  go  to  look  at  ?  " 

"  Why,  it's  an  apartment  that  he  is  thinking  of  renting 
for  himself,  and  he  wants  my  advice  as  to  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  rooms ;  because  a  woman  understands  such 
things  better  than  a  man,  don't  you  see  ?  But  now  it's 
your  turn,  monsieur  le  comte,  to  tell  me  why  you  are  so 
anxious  to  know  whether  my  hand  is  at  my  disposition." 

"  Why,  charming  creature !  can't  you  guess  why  ? 
Don't  you  remember  what  I  said  to  you  one  day,  at 
your  own  house,  soon  after  your  marriage  ?  I  said : 
'  Monleard  has  been  smarter  than  I,  he  has  got  ahead 
of  me ;  for,  if  it  had  not  been  for  him,  I  would  have 
asked  you  to  be  Comtesse  de  la  Beriniere.' — Very  good ; 
what  I  could  not  do  then,  I  should  be  very  happy  to  do 
to-day.  Now,  you  see,  I  don't  propose  to  lose  any  time 
and  let  some  other  man  get  ahead  of  me;  I  go  straight  to 
the  point.  If  you  are  not  engaged,  I  offer  you  my  name 
and  my  fortune;  I  will  transform  you  into  a  fascinating 
countess." 

"  Oh !  monsieur  le  comte,  can  I  believe  you  ?  do  you 
really  mean  what  you  say?  I  most  certainly  am  not 
engaged — but  my  sister — you  loved  her  ?  " 

"  I  thought  of  your  sister  for  a  moment,  solely  with  a 
view  of  entering  your  family.  You  cannot  fear  to  make 
her  unhappy  by  accepting  my  hand,  since  she  refused  it." 

"  True,  the  little  fool !  I  wouldn't  have  refused  it,  I 
can  tell  you  !  " 


340  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Very  well ;  then  you  accept  now — you  consent  to 
become  a  countess  ?  Give  me  your  hand,  as  a  token 
of  your  consent." 

Fanny  pretended  to  be  embarrassed,  and  lowered  her 
eyes ;  but  she  gave  her  hand  to  the  count,  who  threw 
himself  at  her  feet,  crying : 

"  I  am  the  happiest  of  men  !  " 

During  this  interview,  Gustave  had  called  and  asked 
for  Fanny ;  but  the  maid  said  to  him  : 

"It  is  impossible  for  you  to  see  her,  monsieur;  she 
has  a  sick  headache ;  she  is  asleep,  and  told  me  not  to 
wake  her." 

"  And  her  order  applies  to  me  too  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  yes,  monsieur ;  you  cannot  see  madame ;  her 
headache's  very  bad." 


XLVIII 

WOMAN  CHANGES  OFT 

Gustave  returned  to  his  office  sadly  out  of  temper. 
He  was  surprised  that  for  a  headache  Fanny  should  re- 
fuse to  see  him ;  he  said  to  himself  that,  if  he  were  ill, 
the  presence  of  his  loved  one  could  not  fail  to  do  him 
good  and  cure  him  at  once.  Then,  in  spite  of  himself, 
he  recalled  Fanny's  conduct  at  her  father's,  her  evident 
pleasure  in  conversing  with  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere, 
while  she  barely  listened  to  what  he,  Gustave,  said  to 
her.  All  this  distressed  and  worried  him.  He  could 
not  be  jealous '  of  the  count,  who  was  sixty  years  old, 
but  he  was  displeased  with  Fanny ;  and  while  he  sought 


WOMAN  CHANGES   OFT  341 

excuses  for  her,  saying  to  himself  that  a  young  woman 
was  not  debarred  from  being  a  little  coquettish,  from 
liking  to  cut  a  figure  in  society,  he  feared,  nevertheless, 
that  she  was  not  capable  of  loving  as  he  loved. 

We  often  hear  of  presentiments ;  but,  in  most  cases,  these 
presentiments  are  simply  the  assembling  of  our  memories 
so  as  to  form  a  new  light,  which  enlightens  our  minds, 
destroys  our  illusions,  undeceives  our  hearts.  With  the 
aid  of  this  new  light,  we  foresee  the  treachery  that  lies  in 
wait  for  us,  and  we  say :  "  I  had  a  presentiment  of  it" 

Gustave  returned  to  Fanny's  that  evening;  it  was  natu- 
ral enough  that  he  should  be  anxious  to  know  whether 
the  headache  had  disappeared.  The  servant  informed 
him  that  madame  had  gone  out. 

"  Gone  out !  "  cried  Gustave ;  "  she  is  better,  then  ?  " 

"  Dame  !  yes,  monsieur ;  it's  evident  that  madame  has 
got  rid  of  her  sick  headache." 

"  Where  has  she  gone  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  monsieur." 

"  And  she  left  no  message  for  me,  if  I  came  ?  " 

"  Not  a  word." 

"  Has  she  gone  to  her  father's  ?  " 

"  I  said  that  I  didn't  know." 

"  Very  well ;  I  will  come  again.  Ask  her  to  wait  for 
me,  when  she  returns." 

The  young  man  hurried  to  Monsieur  Gerbault's.  He 
found  Adolphine  alone.  She  read  at  once  on  his  face  that 
he  was  suffering,  and  asked  him  as  she  took  his  hand : 

"  What  has  happened,  my  friend  ?  Something  is  the 
matter." 

"  Why Have  you  seen  your  sister  to-day  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  You  have  not  ?  " 


342  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  No,  she  hasn't  been  here.     Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"  Because  I  haven't  seen  her  to-day,  either.  This  morn- 
ing, I  called  on  her ;  I  was  told  that  she  had  a  headache 
and  was  asleep.  But  this  evening  I  called  again,  and  she 
had  gone  out." 

"Well,  she  has  probably  gone  to  see  some  of  her 
friends.  She  has  retained  some  acquaintances  from  the 
time  when  her  husband  was  living,  and  she  goes  to 
see  them  sometimes.  I  can  see  nothing  disturbing  in 
that." 

"  But,  after  a  whole  day  without  seeing  each  other,  to 
go  out  in  the  evening  without  saying  where  she's  going 
— without  leaving  a  word  for  me !  " 

"  Fanny  is  so  thoughtless ;  she  probably  forgot." 

"  Dear  Adolphine !  you  try  to  excuse  your  sister,  but 
I  am  sure  that  you  blame  her,  at  the  bottom  of  your 
heart.  Don't  you  remember  how  unkind  she  was  to  me 
last  night  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  didn't  notice " 

"  Yes,  yes,  you  did  notice  that  she  left  us  to  go  and 
talk  with  that  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere.  Who  is  that 
man  ?  wherever  did  she  know  him  ?  " 

"  He  was  a  friend  of  her  husband,  and  in  that  way 
became  acquainted  with  father." 

"  Is  he  rich  ?  " 

"  He  has  forty  thousand  francs  a  year." 

"  Married  ?  " 

"  No,  he's  an  old  bachelor ;  he  asked  father  once  for 
my  hand." 

"And  you  refused  him?" 

"  Yes." 

"  You  thought  him  too  old,  didn't  you  ?  " 

"  That  wasn't  the  reason ;  but  I  refused  him." 


WOMAN  CHANGES  OFT  343 

"  Do  you  know,  Adolphine,  I  have  no  idea  what  is 
going  on  in  Fanny's  head,  but  all  this  isn't  natural.  At 
the  point  we  have  reached, — we  are  to  be  married  in  six 
weeks,  and  we  are  both  free, — two  people  don't  pass  a 
whole  day  without  exchanging  a  glance,  or  a  grasp  of 
the  hand.  I  tell  you,  there's  something  wrong.  Could 
she  deceive  me  again  ?  Oh !  no,  that  isn't  possible ;  it 
would  be  too  ghastly  !  too  shameless  ! — No,  I  blush  for 
having  had  such  a  thought.  I  have  no  doubt  that  she  is 
at  home  and  waiting  for  me.  Au  revoir,  little  sister ! " 

"  Gustave,  if  anything  should  happen,  you  would  tell 
me  at  once,  wouldn't  you  ?  " 

But  Gustave  did  not  hear ;  he  was  already  at  the  foot 
of  the  stairs,  and  he  hurried  away  to  Fanny's  house. 
She  had  not  returned ;  he  remembered  the  apartment  he 
had  asked  her  to  inspect,  and,  although  it  was  hardly 
customary  to  look  at  apartments  in  the  evening,  he  said 
to  himself:  "  Perhaps  she  has  gone  there."  And  in  a  few 
moments  he  was  in  Rue  Fontaine.  He  inquired  of  the 
concierge  who  had  the  keys  to  the  apartment,  and  was 
told  that  no  lady  had  come  that  day  to  look  at  it. 

One  more  hope  dashed  to  the  ground :  as  Fanny  had 
gone  out,  why  had  she  not  gone  to  inspect  the  apartment 
of  which  he  had  spoken  so  highly  the  night  before, 
telling  her  that  they  must  make  haste  lest  it  should  be 
rented  to  others?  Gustave  said  all  this  to  himself  as 
he  returned  to  Madame  Monleard's  abode.  She  had  not 
returned ;  but  it  was  only  nine  o'clock ;  she  must  return 
sooner  or  later,  and  Gustave  was  determined  not  to  go 
to  bed  until  he  had  seen  her  and  spoken  to  her,  even  if 
he  had  to  pass  half  the  night  on  sentry-go  before  her 
door.  But  a  woman,  unattended,  was  unlikely  to  stay 
out  late ;  she  could  not  have  gone  to  a  ball ;  ladies  did 


344  MONSIEUR   CHER  AM  I 

not  go  alone  to  the  theatre;  so  she  must  be  at  some 
small  party ;  someone  would  probably  escort  her  home, 
but  he  would  find  out  who  her  escort  was. 

How  many  ideas  pass  through  the  mind  of  a  jealous, 
worried  lover  in  a  few  seconds !  The  imagination  moves 
so  fast  that  it  does  not  know  where  to  stop,  or  on  what 
to  decide.  Every  moment  that  passed  without  bringing 
Fanny  added  to  Gustave's  anxiety,  his  suffering,  his  sus- 
picions. At  last,  about  half-past  ten,  a  cab  stopped  in 
front  of  the  house.  Gustave  ran  forward  and  was  at 
the  door  before  the  cabman  had  alighted  from  his  box. 
Fanny  was  in  the  cab,  alone.  When  she  recognized 
Gustave  in  the  man  who  opened  the  door  for  her,  she 
laughed  heartily  and  cried : 

"Ah !  you  open  carriage-doors  now,  do  you  ?  Ha !  ha ! 
I  congratulate  you  on  your  new  trade." 

This  outburst  of  merriment  seemed  untimely,  to  say 
the  least,  to  Gustave,  who  rejoined : 

"  I  have  no  choice  but  to  wait  for  cabs  to  arrive,  as  I 
fail  to  find  you  at  home;  as  you  go  out  without  even 
leaving  a  line  for  me  so  that  I  may  know  where  you  are." 

"  Oh !  mon  Dieu  !  what  a  terrible  crime !  Am  I  no 
longer  my  own  mistress — to  go  where  I  please  without 
asking  your  leave  ?  That  would  be  very  amusing !  " 

"  You  know  very  well,  Fanny,  that  that  isn't  what  I 
mean;  you  know  that  you  are  at  liberty  to  do  whatever 
you  choose  to  do.  So  do  not  try  to  dodge  the  question. 
At  the  point  we  have  reached,  it  is  natural  for  us  to  tell 
each  other  what  we  do ;  for  we  ought  to  have  no  secrets 
from  each  other.  I  came  here  this  morning,  and  you 
didn't  see  me  on  account  of  your  headache." 

"Well,  monsieur,  am  I  no  longer  allowed  to  have  a 
headache?  Pay  the  cabman,  will  you;  I  have  come  from 


WOMAN  CHANGES  OFT  345 

Madame  Delabert's. — Can  I  no  longer  visit  my  friends,  I 
should  like  to  know  ?  " 

"  Come,  come,  Fanny,  don't  be  angry ;  perhaps  I  was 
foolish  to  be  anxious.  But  it  would  have  been  so  easy 
for  you  to  leave  word  for  me  !  Remember  that  I  haven't 
seen  you  at  all  to-day,  and  a  whole  day  without  seeing 
you  seems  very  long  now !  " 

"  It  isn't  my  fault  if  I  have  a  sick  headache.  I  can  still 
feel  the  effects  of  it,  so  I  am  going  to  bed ;  I  am  very  tired." 

"  Mayn't  I  come  up  with  you  for  a  moment  ?  " 

"  Oh !  I  should  think  not !  it  wouldn't  be  proper,  so 
late." 

"  It  isn't  eleven  yet." 

"  But  I  tell  you  that  I  still  feel  the  effects  of  my  head- 
ache, and  that  I  am  going  straight  to  bed." 

"  Why  didn't  you  go  to  see  that  apartment  I  told  you 
about — on  Rue  Fontaine,  near  Place  Saint-Georges  ?  " 

"  Why  didn't  I  ?     Because  I  forgot  all  about  it." 

"  How  could  you  forget  a  thing  of  such  importance  ? 
For,  if  it  suits  you,  we  must  rent  it  at  once." 

"  Oh !  my  dear  friend,  I  am  not  anxious  to  stand  here 
in  the  street  any  longer.  What  do  we  look  like — talking 
like  this  on  a  doorstep  ?  " 

"  Then  let  me  come  up  a  moment." 

"  No ;  I  tell  you  that  I  am  going  to  bed  !  " 

"  There's  something  wrong,  Fanny.  This  isn't  natural. 
You're  not  the  same  with  me  that  you  were  two  days  ago." 

"  You  can  tell  me  all  that  to-morrow.     Good-night !  " 

"  Very  well,  until  to-morrow,  then,  madame !  I  trust 
that  you  will  be  visible  ?  " 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  monsieur,  I  am  always  visible  when  I  am 
not  sick.  But  don't  come  too  early ;  for  I  don't  rise  with 
the  dawn." 


346  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

Fanny  knocked,  and  the  door  opened.  She  hurried 
in  and  closed  the  door  on  Gustave,  who  remained  in  the 
street,  poor  fellow,  unable  to  make  up  his  mind  to  leave 
his  fair  one's  abode.  He  did  not  know  what  to  believe. 
He  asked  himself  if  he  had  not  done  wrong  to  reproach 
Fanny ;  she  had  been  to  see  one  of  her  friends,  and  had 
returned  alone :  there  was  no  great  harm  in  that.  And 
yet,  he  was  ill  at  ease,  he  suffered;  his  heart  told  him 
that  something  was  wrong,  and  that  his  love  was  not  the 
same  to  him  as  before. 

At  last,  after  pacing  back  and  forth  in  front  of  Fanny's 
door  for  nearly  an  hour,  gazing  at  those  of  her  windows 
which  were  lighted,  he  decided  to  go  away  when  the 
lights  went  out. 

"  I  wish  to-morrow  were  here,"  he  thought. 

Gustave  did  not  close  his  eyes  that  night ;  where  is  the 
lover  who  could  sleep,  in  his  position  ?  Only  a  lover  who 
is  not  in  love.  At  eight  o'clock,  the  young  man  went 
down  to  the  office,  where  there  were  as  yet  no  clerks ;  but 
he  found  his  uncle,  who  was  always  at  his  desk  early. 

"  The  deuce  !  "  said  Monsieur  Grandcourt ;  "  you're  on 
hand  in  good  season !  Was  it  love  of  work  that  woke 
you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  uncle ;  I  have  some  accounts  to  look  over." 

"  How  pale  you  look,  and  exhausted !  One  would  say 
that  you  had  been  up  all  night." 

"  I  am  just  out  of  bed." 

"I'll  wager  that  you  didn't  sleep.  Is  there  anything 
new  in  your  love  affair  ?  " 

«  Why— no,  uncle." 

"  Your  dear  Fanny  hasn't  played  you  some  new  trick?" 

"  Ah  !  uncle,  at  the  point  we  have  reached " 

"  It  wouldn't  surprise  me  at  all." 


WOMAN  CHANGES   OFT  347 

"  You  have  a  very  bad  opinion  of  her." 

"  When  a  woman  has  made  a  fool  of  a  man  once,  she 
will  make  a  fool  of  him  again — she  will  always  do  it ! 
However,  it  would  be  better  before  marriage  than  after. 
Come  and  breakfast  with  me." 

"  It's  too  early,  uncle ;  I  am  not  hungry.  By  the  way, 
have  you  thought  about  Arthur  ?  " 

"Who's  Arthur?" 

"  Arthur  Cherami ;  a  good,  honest  fellow  who  is  look- 
ing for  a  place." 

"Ah!  your  tall  swashbuckler,  who  has  such  a  scampish 
look — always  ready  to  fly  at  you  ?  Upon  my  word,  you 
are  not  fortunate  in  your  friendships !  What  sort  of  a 
place  do  you  suppose  anyone  would  give  to  that  fellow  ? 
He  doesn't  inspire  the  slightest  confidence  in  me.  He 
was  rich  once,  and  he  squandered  his  whole  property :  a 
fine  recommendation ! " 

"I  believe  that  you  judge  him  too  harshly.  A  man 
may  have  done  foolish  things,  and  have  turned  over  a  new 
leaf.  With  you,  uncle,  repentance  counts  for  nothing." 

"  Repentance  has  one  great  defect  in  my  eyes  :  it  never 
comes  till  after  the  wrong-doing.  If  a  man  could  repent 
before  he  went  wrong,  that  is  to  say,  stop  before  he  fell, 
then  I  should  have  a  much  higher  opinion  of  repentance. 
Well,  where  are  you  going  ?  leaving  the  office  already  ?  " 

Gustave  could  not  keep  still.  He  left  the  office,  and  ran 
all  the  way  to  Fanny's  house ;  then  stopped  and  looked 
at  his  watch.  It  was  barely  nine  o'clock  ;  impossible  to 
call  upon  her  so  early.  The  young  man  walked  up  Fau- 
bourg Poissonniere  and  kept  on  past  the  barrier;  little  he 
cared  where  he  went,  so  long  as  the  time  passed.  Sud- 
denly he  ran  into  a  tree,  which  his  complete  absorption 
in  his  thoughts  had  prevented  his  seeing.  At  that,  he 


348  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

halted  and  looked  about  him,  and  was  surprised  to  find 
that  he  was  in  the  open  country.  But  he  felt  that  the  air 
was  keener  and  purer  there,  that  it  refreshed  the  mind 
and  calmed  the  beating  of  the  heart ;  and  he  sat  down  at 
the  foot  of  the  tree.  He  breathed  more  freely,  he  felt 
sensibly  relieved.  Ah !  what  a  skilful  physician  the  air 
is,  and  what  marvellous  cures  we  owe  to  it ! 

Gustave  sat  for  a  long  while  at  the  foot  of  the  tree, 
which  was  bare  of  leaves ;  for  it  was  late  in  October.  He 
reviewed  in  his  mind  the  whole  of  Fanny's  conduct  during 
the  last  two  days,  and  wondered  if  his  uncle  were  right 
after  all.  At  last  he  rose  and  returned  to  Paris.  It  was 
nearly  eleven  o'clock  when  he  reached  the  young  widow's 
door.  But  he  could  wait  no  longer;  he  rang  the  bell 
violently,  and  the  maid  ushered  him  into  her  mistress's 
presence. 


XLIX 

THE  SECOND  TIME 

Fanny  was  sitting  by  the  fire,  in  a  dainty  morning  gown  ; 
for  she  was  a  woman  who  never  allowed  herself  to  be 
surprised  in  deshabille ;  but  her  expression  was  cold  and 
stern,  as  of  a  person  who  had  made  up  her  mind  and  was 
prepared  for  a  rupture. 

"I  have  come  a  little  early,  I  fear,"  said  Gustave,  taking 
a  seat,  and  seeking  in  vain  an  affable  smile  on  the  widow's 
features ;  "  but  you  will  surely  forgive  my  impatience,  I  was 
so  anxious  to  see  you.  I  had  almost  no  chance  to  speak 
to  you  last  night,  and  I  had  so  many  things  to  say ! " 


THE   SECOND    TIME  349 

"  I,  too,  wished  to  speak  with  you,  monsieur.  I,  too, 
have  several  things  to  say  to  you." 

"Monsieur!  What!  you  call  me  monsieur?  What 
does  that  mean  ?  " 

"  In  heaven's  name,  let  us  not  quibble  over  words.  If 
I  call  you  monsieur  now,  I  do  so  in  consequence  of  certain 
reflections  I  have  made  since  yesterday.  Do  you  know 
that  I  don't  like  to  be  followed,  spied  upon ;  that  a  jealous 
man  is  an  unendurable  creature  to  me  ?  " 

"  Ah !  you  are  trying  to  quarrel  with  me,  madame  ?  " 

"  No,  I  am  not ;  but  I  am  telling  you  frankly  the  subject 
of  my  reflections;  and  the  result  of  those  reflections  is " 

"  Is  what  ?  go  on,  madame." 

"  Is  that  I  am  afraid  that  I  shall  not  make  you  happy, 
Gustave.  I  am  naturally  giddy,  frivolous, — but  I  cannot 
change, — and  my  temperament  would  not  harmonize  at 
all  with  yours.  Consequently  we  shall  do  much  better 
not  to  marry.  Oh !  I  have  come  to  this  decision  solely 
in  my  solicitude  for  your  happiness." 

Gustave  sprang  to  his  feet  so  suddenly  that  the  little 
widow  could  not  restrain  a  gesture  of  terror.  He  took 
his  stand  in  front  of  her,  with  folded  arms,  and  gazed 
sternly  at  her,  saying: 

"  So  this  is  what  you  were  aiming  at — a  rupture !  And 
you  dare  to  accuse  me  of  spying,  to  try  to  put  me  in 
the  wrong !  to  accuse  me,  when  my  conduct  was  sim- 
ply the  consequence  of  your  own  !  Oh  !  don't  think  to 
deceive  me  again.  Some  other  motive  is  behind  your 
action.  You  have  formed  other  plans." 

"  That  does  not  concern  you,  monsieur !  I  believe 
that  I  am  entirely  free !  I  trust  that  you  will  spare  me 
your  reproaches.  Well-bred  people  simply  part — they 
don't  quarrel  'over  it." 


350  MONSIEUR    CHER  AMI 

"  Never  fear,  madame ;  I  shall  not  forget  that  you  are 
a  woman.  But  to  play  this  trick  upon  me  again — ah ! 
it  is  shameful !  Fanny,  is  it  true  ?  did  I  hear  aright  ? 
Only  two  days  ago,  you  were  forming  plans  with  me  for 
our  life  to  come,  your  hand  pressed  mine,  you  asked  me 
if  I  would  always  love  you." 

"  Justine,  bring  me  some  wood ;  the  fire's  going  out." 

The  tone  in  which  the  young  woman  summoned  her 
maid,  having  apparently  paid  no  heed  to  Gustave,  capped 
the  climax  of  his  exasperation ;  he  strode  up  and  down  the 
room  two  or  three  times,  then  went  to  Fanny  as  if  to 
give  full  vent  to  his  wrath ;  but  he  checked  himself,  and, 
having  bestowed  upon  her  a  glance  in  which  were  con- 
centrated all  his  outraged  feelings,  he  abruptly  left  the 
room  without  looking  back. 

For  several  hours  thereafter,  Gustave  was  like  a  mad- 
man ;  he  was  so  unprepared  for  the  blow,  that  he  could 
hardly  believe  in  its  reality.  He  returned  home  and 
locked  himself  in  his  room ;  he  dreaded  to  meet  his  uncle 
and  hear  him  say : 

"  I  prophesied  what  has  happened." 

He  preferred  to  be  alone,  so  that  he  could  abandon 
himself  to  his  grief;  and  for  some  time  he  could  not 
keep  from  weeping  over  his  lost  happiness,  although  he 
told  himself  that  Fanny  did  not  deserve  the  tears  she 
caused  him  to  shed.  Then  he  cudgelled  his  brain  to 
divine  what  could  have  caused  this  sudden  change  in 
her  ideas. 

He  determined  to  leave  Paris  again,  to  go  away  with- 
out a  word  to  anyone ;  but  the  next  day  he  went  to  see 
Adolphine,  to  tell  her  of  his  new  unhappiness. 

Fanny's  sister  seemed  to  be  expecting  his  visit;  she 
held  out  her  hand  as  soon  as  he  appeared,  saying : 


THE  SECOND    TIME  351 

"  Poor  Gustave !  I  know  all !  My  sister  has  disap- 
pointed you  again  !  It  is  horribly  hard  ! " 

"  What !  you  know  already  that  she  refuses  to  marry 
me !  Who  can  have  told  you  ?  " 

"Why,  she  herself;  she  came  here  yesterday  to  tell 
us  that,  as  soon  as  her  mourning  is  at  an  end,  she  is 
going  to  marry " 

"  She  is  going  to  marry,  you  say  ?  " 

"  Why,  didn't  you  know  it  ?  " 

"  Finish,  in  God's  name  !     She  is  going  to  marry " 

"  The  Comte  de  la  Beriniere." 

Gustave  dropped  upon  a  chair,  repeating  between  his 
teeth : 

"  The  Comte  de  la  Beriniere !  " 

But  there  was  more  surprise  than  anger  in  his  tone ; 
for,  on  learning  that  it  was  a  man  of  sixty  to  whom 
Fanny  gave  the  preference,  he  realized  that  it  was  no 
newborn  passion  that  had  caused  the  change  in  her 
heart. 

"  So,"  he  exclaimed,  after  a  moment,  "  that  woman  is 
always  guided  by  selfish  considerations !  it  is  a  fortune, 
a  title,  which  she  prefers  to  me !  For  this  man  is  rich, 
I  suppose  ? " 

"  Yes,  very  rich !  And  as  Fanny  doesn't  propose  to 
be  left  in  poverty  if  she  should  be  widowed  again,  it 
seems  that  the  count  settles  twenty  thousand  francs  a 
year  on  her  when  he  marries  her.  But  do  not  believe, 
my  friend,  that  we  approve  her  conduct :  when  she  told 
us  of  her  latest  plan,  father  told  her  that  the  way  in 
which  she  was  treating  you  was  utterly  disgraceful,  and 
that  he  never  wanted  to  see  her  again,  countess  or  no 
countess." 

"  And  what  did  she  reply  ?  " 


352  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"She  said  that  she  could  not  imagine  how  we  could 
blame  her,  and  she  went  away  repeating  that  we  cared 
nothing  for  her  happiness.  It  seems  that  the  count  had 
courted  her  before,  and  declared  that  he  deeply  regretted 
her  marriage  to  Auguste.  That  is  why,  when  she  saw 
him  again " 

"  Enough,  my  dear  Adolphine ;  I  don't  care  to  know 
anything  more.  I  was  mistaken  in  thinking  that  she 
loved  me.  As  if  anyone  would  ever  love  me !  No;  there 
are  some  people  who  were  born  to  love  alone,  never  to 
meet  a  heart  that  understands  them." 

"  Why  do  you  say  that  to  me,  Gustave  ?  " 

"  Well,  what  does  it  matter,  after  all  ?  a  man  cannot 
change  his  destiny.  Adieu,  Adolphine !  " 

"Are  you  going  away,  Gustave?  Where  are  you 
going  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  I  don't  know,  but  I  feel  that  I  must  leave  Paris 
again.  I  cannot  be  here  when  she  marries  the  count.  I 
am  a  fool,  I  know  it  perfectly  well ;  your  sister  deserves 
no  regret ;  but  one  does  not  lose  all  one's  illusions  with- 
out suffering.  Adieu  !  give  my  respects  to  your  father." 

"  But  you  won't  stay  away  so  long  this  time,  will  you  ? 
and  when  you  return,  you  will  be  able  to  come  to  see  me 
without  fear ;  you  won't  meet  her  here  again." 

"  Yes,  you  will  see  me.     Adieu  !  " 

Gustave  took  leave  of  Adolphine,  whose  eyes  were 
full  of  tears  as  she  looked  after  him;  but  he  did  not 
understand  their  language.  He  went  to  his  uncle,  told 
him  what  had  happened,  and  expressed  a  desire  to  go  to 
England  and  stay  there  for  some  time. 

Monsieur  Grandcourt  said  simply : 

"That  woman  will  end  by  sending  you  round  the 
world.  But  let  us  hope  that  this  will  be  your  last  trip. 


THE   SECOND    TIME  353 

Go  to  England,  go  where  you  please — but  don't  return 
unless  you  are  cured  of  your  idiotic  passion." 

Gustave  soon  completed  his  preparations  for  departure  ; 
he  had  but  a  few  hours  to  remain  in  Paris,  when  he  met 
Cherami. 

"  Where  are  we  going  so  fast  ?  "  cried  Beau  Arthur, 
taking  Gustave's  hand.  "  What  has  happened  ?  Our 
countenance  is  not  so  cheerful  and  happy  as  it  was  the 
last  time  ?  Can  it  be  that  anything  has  happened  to 
interrupt  the  course  of  our  loves  ?  " 

"  My  friend,"  replied  Gustave,  with  a  sigh,  "  there  has 
been  a  great  change,  indeed,  in  my  affairs  since  we  last 
met.  There  is  to  be  no  marriage;  the  love  affair  is  at 
an  end.  Fanny  has  betrayed  me  again.  Ah  !  I  ought 
to  have  expected  it!  But,  no;  it  is  impossible  to  con- 
ceive such  perfidy  in  a  woman  who  looks  at  us  with  a 
smiling  face,  who  tells  us  that  she  loves  us ! " 

"  What's  that  you  say,  my  boy  ?  The  little  widow 
has  slipped  out  of  your  hand  again?  Nonsense,  that 
can't  be  so !  " 

"  It's  the  truth.  She  is  going  to  marry  the  Comte  de 
la  Beriniere,  an  old  man,  but  very  rich.  She  is  to  be  a 
countess — she  has  no  further  use  for  me." 

"  Why,  this  is  perfectly  frightful !  A  woman  doesn't 
play  skittles  like  that  with  an  honest  man's  heart !  And 
you  haven't  killed  your  rival  ?  " 

"  No;  for  that  wouldn't  make  Fanny  love  me  any  more. 
But  I  am  going  away ;  I  don't  propose  to  be  here  again, 
as  I  was  at  her  first  wedding.  No,  indeed;  once  was 
enough." 

"  You  are  going  away  ?  where  ?  " 

"  To  England  and  Scotland ;  but  I  shall  not  be  away 
so  long." 


354  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Sapristi !  my  dear  fellow,  don't  go  away ;  the  affair 
can  be  fixed  up,  perhaps." 

"  No,  no,  it's  all  over,  all  over !  Fanny  will  never  be 
mine.  Adieu,  my  friend!  it's  almost  train  time.  Au 
revoir ! " 

Gustave  hurried  away,  and  left  Cherami  standing  there 
bewildered  by  his  sudden  departure.  He  seemed  lost  in 
thought  for  a  moment,  then  tapped  his  leg  with  his  switch 
and  said : 

"  Morbleu  !  my  friend  Gustave  unhappy !  the  woman 
he  loves  snatched  away  from  him  a  second  time !  and  I 
am  to  endure  it!  I,  his  Pylades,  to  whom  he  loans 
money  without  taking  account  of  it ! — No,  par  la  sam- 
bleu !  I  will  not  endure  it.  Ah !  my  little  widow !  you 
play  fast  and  loose  with  a  fine  fellow  like  that !  You 
think  that  you  can  make  fools  of  people  in  that  way ! 
But,  patience !  I  am  on  hand,  and  I  have  my  cue !  " 


A  GENTLEMAN  IN  BED 

About  noon  the  next  day,  Cherami  was  walking  in 
front  of  Madame  Monleard's  house. 

"  I  don't  know  where  he  perches — this  Comte  de  la 
Beriniere,  whom  Gustave  told  me  about  yesterday ;  but 
by  doing  sentry  duty  in  front  of  this  house,  I  can't  fail  to 
find  out;  this  count  will  undoubtedly  come  to  pay  his  re- 
spects to  the  little  woman  he's  going  to  marry;  he's  rich, 
he  will  come  in  his  carriage,  and  I  am  an  awkward  fellow 
if  I  can't  learn  the  master's  address  from  a  servant." 


A    GENTLEMAN  IN  BED 


355 


Everything  happened  as  Cherami  had  anticipated : 
about  one  o'clock,  a  stylish  coupe  drew  up  in  front  of 
Fanny's  door,  and  a  gentleman,  who  was  no  longer 
young,  alighted  from  it ;  despite  his  years,  he  was  dressed 
in  the  latest  fashion  and  exhaled  a  powerful  odor  of 
perfumery. 

"  That's  my  man ! "  said  Cherami  to  himself;  and, 
having  watched  the  count  enter  the  house,  he  accosted 
the  footman,  who  was  yawning  against  a  post. 

"  Wasn't  that  Monsieur  le  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  whom 
I  just  saw  get  out  of  this  carriage  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  it  was  he." 

"Ah  !  I  said  to  myself:  '  Why,  there's  an  old  acquaint- 
ance of  mine ! '  yet  I  was  afraid  of  making  a  mistake,  so 
I  didn't  dare  to  speak  to  him ;  but  I  will  go  and  renew 
my  acquaintance  with  him  to-morrow  morning.  Where 
does  the  dear  count  live  now  ?  " 

"  Rue  de  la  Ville-l'Eveque,  just  at  the  beginning,  near 
the  Madeleine." 

"  Very  good ;  I  can  see  it  from  here.  How  late  can  I 
find  the  count  at  home  in  the  morning  ?  " 

"  Monsieur  gets  up  late.  He  seldom  goes  out  before 
noon." 

"  Infinitely  obliged.  I  am  sure  that  the  dear  count 
will  be  delighted  to  see  me  to-morrow  morning." 

"  If  monsieur  would  tell  me  his  name,  I  would  tell  my 
master." 

"  No ;  bless  my  soul,  no !  I  want  to  surprise  him ; 
don't  say  anything  to  him  about  it." 

Cherami  returned  to  his  Hotel  du  Bel-Air,  saying  to 
himself: 

"  Gustave  doesn't  choose  to  fight  with  his  rival,  but  I'll 
wager  that  it's  from  some  lingering  feeling  of  delicacy, 


356  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

of  kindness  for  that  little  sinner  of  a  Fanny !  He  says  to 
himself:  '  Let  her  be  a  countess,  if  that  will  make  her 
happy.' — Infernal  nonsense,  I  call  it.  And  as  I  have  no 
reason  for  being  agreeable  to  that  lady,  I  trust  that  I 
shall  be  able  to  prevent  her  putting  this  new  affront  on 
my  young  friend." 

The  next  day,  having  dressed  himself  with  care,  Cher- 
ami  took  the  Paris  omnibus  and  exchanged  into  one  for 
the  Madeleine ;  at  half-past  ten,  he  arrived  at  the  Comte 
de  la  Beriniere's  door,  recognized  the  footman  of  the 
preceding  day,  and  said  to  him : 

"  Here  I  am ;  take  me  in  to  your  master." 

"  Monsieur  le  comte  is  still  in  bed." 

"  Veiy  well !  wake  him." 

"  He's  awake,  for  he  has  already  had  his  chocolate." 

"As  he's  awake,  there's  no  need  of  his  getting  up  to 
receive  me;  I  can  talk  with  him  perfectly  well  in  bed. 
Go  and  tell  him  that  an  old  friend  of  his  wishes  to 
see  him." 

"  Your  name,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  I  have  already  told  you  that  I  wanted  to  sur- 
prise him;  consequently,  I  don't  choose  to  send  in  my 
name." 

The  servant  went  to  his  master  and  delivered  the  mes- 
sage. Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  had  not  begun  to  think 
of  rising ;  he  had  taken  the  young  widow  to  the  Opera 
the  night  before,  and  had  played  the  attentive  gallant 
all  the  evening,  and  he  was  at  an  age  when  such  service 
is  very  tiresome.  So  he  was  reposing  in  bed  from  the 
fatigues  of  the  night. 

"That  young  widow  is  an  adorable  creature,"  he 
mused.  "  Marriage  will  make  me  settle  down ;  I  shall 
lead  a  virtuous  life,  and  it  will  do  me  good." 


A    GENTLEMAN  IN  BED  357 

He  was  somewhat  annoyed,  therefore,  when  his  ser- 
vant announced  an  old  friend  who  wished  to  speak 
with  him. 

"  Neither  old  friends  nor  new  ones  ought  to  come  so 
early,"  he  exclaimed.  "  What  the  devil !  they  ought  to 
let  people  sleep  in  peace.  What's  the  name  of  this  old 
friend  who's  such  an  early  bird  ?  " 

"  He  refused  to  send  in  his  name,  in  order  to  surprise 
monsieur." 

"  He  deserves  to  be  turned  away  without  seeing  me." 

"  He  was  in  the  street  last  night  when  monsieur  went 
into  Madame  Monleard's.  He  recognized  monsieur  when 
he  stepped  out  of  the  carriage." 

"  Well !  let  us  see  this  man  of  surprises." 

The  servant  ushered  Cherami  into  his  master's  bed- 
room, and  withdrew.  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  with  his 
rumpled  silk  nightcap  on  his  head,  and  his  eyes  still 
half-closed,  was  curled  up  in  bed,  covered  to  his  nose 
by  the  bedclothes ;  and  in  that  position  he  was  entirely 
destitute  of  charms.  So  that  Cherami,  after  eying  him 
for  a  few  seconds,  said  to  himself: 

"  What !  it  was  this  old  baked  apple  who  was  given  the 
preference  over  my  good-looking  young  friend  Gustave ! 
Damnation !  women  care  even  more  for  money  than  we 
men  do !  for  our  reason  for  wanting  it  is  to  get  wives  with 
it,  while  they  take  it  to  throw  us  over." 

While  Cherami  indulged  in  this  reflection,  the  count 
scrutinized  his  visitor  with  interest,  and  said  to  him  at 
last  in  a  slightly  nasal  voice : 

"  My  dear  monsieur,  it's  of  no  use  for  me  to  examine 
you  from  head  to  foot,  or  to  search  my  memory :  I  do 
not  recall  any  friend  of  mine  who  resembles  you  in  the 
least." 


358  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

Cherami  bowed  with  an  affable  smile,  and  replied : 

"  Don't  try,  monsieur  le  comte,  don't  take  that  trouble ; 
it  would  be  a  waste  of  time ;  for  the  fact  is  that  this  is 
the  first  time  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  being  in  your 
company." 

"  What's  that  ?  deuce  take  me !  what  does  this  mean  ? 
In  that  case,  you  are  not  the  old  friend  that  you  held 
yourself  out  to  be  ?  " 

"  That  is  to  say,  monsieur,  I  ventured  to  tell  that  little 
falsehood  in  order  to  be  more  certain  of  obtaining  an 
interview  with  you  this  morning." 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  frowned  and  scowled,  which 
did  not  add  to  his  beauty ;  he  scrutinized  Cherami  with 
evident  suspicion,  and  rejoined  sharply : 

"What  have  you  so  important,  so  urgent,  to  say  to 
me,  monsieur,  that  you  presume  to  disturb  me  so  early, 
to  resort  to  a  trick  in  order  to  be  admitted  ?  " 

"  You  shall  know  in  a  moment ;  but,  first,  allow  me  to 
sit.  The  matter  in  hand  deserves  that  I  should  take  the 
trouble  to  be  comfortable." 

Without  awaiting  a  reply,  Cherami  took  an  armchair, 
placed  it  beside  the  bed,  and  stretched  himself  out  in  it. 
The  ease  of  his  manners,  which  did  not  lack  distinction, 
began  to  dispel  the  suspicions  which  had  assailed  the 
count's  mind  for  a  moment;  his  curiosity  was  aroused 
by  the  whole  aspect  of  the  strange  individual  who  sat 
facing  him. 

Cherami,  being  seated  to  his  satisfaction,  began  thus  : 

"  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  you  see  before  you  Arthur 
Cherami,  the  intimate  friend  of  young  Gustave  Darle- 
mont.  You  know  Gustave  Darlemont,  I  believe  ?  " 

"  Faith !  no ;  but,  stay !  Gustave Do  you  refer  to 

the  young  man  who  was  an  old  play-fellow  of  Madame 


A    GENTLEMAN  IN  BED  359 

Monleard,  and  whom  I  saw  at  Monsieur  Gerbault's  the 
other  evening  ?  " 

"  The  same ;  that  is,  I  don't  know  whether  Gustave 
was  Madame  Monleard's  play-fellow,  but  I  do  know  that 
he  had  become  her  heart's  fellow.  However,  without 
going  into  that,  he  was  on  the  point  of  marrying  the 
young  widow,  when  your  appearance  changed  everything. 
You  are  a  count,  you  are  rich ;  the  little  woman  is  a  flirt 
of  the  first  order ;  she  whirled  about  like  a  weathercock. 
By  the  way,  this  isn't  the  first  time  she  has  taken  the 
same  turn.  King  Francois  I  said:  ' Souvent femme  varie, 
bien  fol  est  qui  s'y  fie!  *  Which  proves  that  that  king 
had  made  a  careful  study  of  the  fair  sex — a  study  which 
cost  him  rather  dear!  but,  never  mind  that;  thus  you, 
monsieur  le  comte,  are  the  cause  of  Madame  Monleard's 
having  abruptly  given  my  friend  Gustave  the  mitten, 
instead  of  marrying  him.  And  now,  do  you  begin  to 
suspect  what  brings  me  here  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  I  fancy  so ;  you  are  sent  by  this  young 
Gustave,  who  desires  to  fight  with  me  ?  " 

"That  isn't  it  exactly.  You  are  burning,  but  you're 
not  quite  there.  This  is  how  it  is :  Gustave  has  no 
thought  of  fighting;  not  that  he  lacks  courage;  oh!  he's 
brave  enough,  I  would  answer  for  him  as  for  myself ! — 
but  he  has  such  a  soft  spot  in  his  heart  for  the  widow 
that  he's  afraid  that,  by  killing  you,  he  might  distress  her. 
The  poor  boy  is  in  despair ;  and  when  he's  in  despair,  he 
leaves  Paris,  he  goes  abroad,  seeks  distraction  in  other 
climes — and  what  I  don't  understand  is  that  he  comes 
back  as  dead  in  love  as  when  he  went  away ;  for  I  must 
tell  you,  monsieur  le  comte,  that  you're  not  the  first  to 
cut  the  grass  from  under  his  feet,  as  they  say;  he  was 

*  "  Woman  is  forever  changing,  and  he  is  a  great  fool  who  trusts  her." 


360  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

to  have  married  Mademoiselle  Fanny  Gerbault,  when 
Monsieur  Auguste  Monleard  came  upon  the  scene ;  he 
had  the  prestige  of  wealth  and  fine  social  position,  and 
poor  Gustave  was  shown  the  door.  To-day,  therefore, 
we  have  a  second  performance  of  the  same  play,  with  this 
difference :  that  now  my  young  friend  has  an  excellent 
position  in  his  uncle's  banking-house ;  but  that  you  have 
a  title  and  a  fine  turnout,  and  are  much  richer  than  he." 

"Well,  monsieur,  as  your  young  friend  doesn't  think 
of  fighting — which  is  very  wise  of  him,  by  the  way,  for  I 
fancy  that  it  wouldn't  increase  the  widow's  affection  for 
him;  and,  between  ourselves,  as  he  had  been  rejected 
once,  I  am  a  good  deal  surprised  that  he  came  forward  a 
second  time " 

"  I  agree  with  you,  par  la  sambleu  !  I  wouldn't  have 
been  the  man  to  act  in  that  way!  A  woman  who  had 
slighted  me  for  another  man — that's  much  worse  than  de- 
ceiving !  Men  are  deceived  every  day,  and  it's  forgiven ; 
but  slighted,  disdained !  However,  what  would  you  have ! 
passions  are  passions  !  Gustave  is  to  be  pitied." 

"  I  pity  him  with  all  my  heart;  but  I  return  to  my  ques- 
tion :  that  being  so,  what  can  have  brought  you  here  ?  " 

"  Oh !  mon  Dieu !  it's  easily  explained.  I  am  Gus- 
tave's  devoted  friend;  he  forgives  insult  and  treachery, 
but  I  do  not  choose  that  he  shall  be  insulted  or  betrayed. 
The  wrong  that  is  done  him  wounds  me,  insults  me ;  and 
as  I  have  never  swallowed  an  insult,  I  fight. — I  have 
come,  therefore,  to  demand  satisfaction  at  your  hands  for 
the  little  widow's  perfidy — of  which  you  are  the  cause ; 
that  is  to  say,  to  speak  more  accurately,  the  little  widow 
is  the  real  and  the  only  culprit  in  this  affair.  It  was 
she  who  made  a  fool  of  Gustave  in  a  much  too  inde- 
cent fashion ;  but  as  it's  impossible  to  demand  satisfaction 


A    GENTLEMAN  IN  BED  361 

of  a  woman,  I  have  come  to  demand  it  of  you,  monsieur 
le  comte,  as  her  accomplice  and  representative  in  this 
affair." 

The  count  put  the  whole  of  his  head  outside  of  the 
bedclothes,  in  order  to  obtain  a  better  view  of  the  person 
who  had  made  this  proposition  to  him ;  and,  after  scru- 
tinizing him  carefully,  he  replied,  in  a  mocking  tone : 

"  It  makes  no  difference  how  closely  I  examine  you, 
my  dear  monsieur,  I  do  not  know  you  at  all." 

"  We  will  make  each  other's  acquaintance  by  fighting." 

"  Why  should  you  expect  me  to  fight  with  you  ?  You 
haven't  insulted  me  in  any  way." 

"  If  an  insult  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  induce  you  to 
fight  with  me,  never  fear,  I'll  insult  you ;  but  I  confess 
that  I  should  prefer  to  have  the  affair  pass  off  quietly, 
courteously,  as  becomes  well-bred  people ;  and,  although 
I  am  not,  like  you,  monsieur  le  comte,  of  noble  birth,  I 
beg  you  to  believe  that  you  will  not  cross  swords  with 
a  churl.  I  am  of  good  family,  I  was  well  educated,  I 
inherited  a  very  pretty  little  fortune ;  but  I  made  a  fool 
of  myself  for  that  charming  sex  which  is  decidedly 
fond  of  cashmere  shawls  and  truffles.  I  have  ruined 
myself,  pretty  nearly,  but  I  haven't  forgotten  how  to  use 
a  sword;  as  poor  Auguste  Monleard  had  reason  to  know." 

"  What's  that  ?  you  fought  with  my  pretty  widow's 
first  husband?" 

"  The  day  after  the  wedding ;  and  I  gave  him  a  very 
neat  sword-thrust  in  the  forearm." 

"Ah!  that  fall  that  he  claimed  to  have  had  on  the 
stairs?" 

"  That  was  the  result  of  our  duel." 

"  Gad !  monsieur,  it  seems  that  you  have  sworn  the 
death  of  all  the  captivating  Fanny's  husbands." 


362  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  If  she  had  married  my  friend  Gustave,  I  promise  you 
that  I  wouldn't  have  fought  with  him  !  " 

"  You  will  permit  me  to  inform  you,  monsieur,  that 
your  conduct  is  utterly  absurd." 

"  Why  so,  monsieur,  I  pray  to  know  ?  " 

"  Because  one  doesn't  take  up  the  cudgels  in  this  way 
for  another  man  who  is  old  enough  to  attend  to  his  own 
affairs.  Your  friend  Gustave  doesn't  see  fit  to  fight; 
why  should  you  take  it  into  your  head  to  fight  for 
him  ?  " 

"  I  explained  the  reasons  of  my  conduct  a  moment 
ago.  If  you  didn't  listen,  I  will  repeat  them." 

"It's  a  waste  of  time,  monsieur;  I  shall  not  fight 
with  you." 

With  that,  the  count  pulled  up  the  bedclothes,  turned 
his  face  to  the  wall,  and  curled  himself  up  so  that  he 
made  but  a  large-sized  ball. 

Cherami  rose  and  paced  the  floor;  then  went  to  the 
fireplace  and  warmed  his  feet  at  the  fire  that  burned 
briskly  on  the  hearth,  saying : 

"  It's  quite  sharp  this  morning ;  you  were  very  wise 
to  order  a  fire  lighted  in  your  bedroom ;  one  takes  cold 
so  easily.  To  be  sure,  this  room  is  tightly  closed,  but 
the  least  draught  does  the  business  so  quickly !  " 

After  a  few  minutes,  annoyed  to  find  that  his  visitor 
did  not  take  his  leave,  the  count  turned  over  and  sat  up 
in  bed. 

"  I  say,  monsieur,"  he  exclaimed  testily,  "  do  you  in- 
tend to  pass  the  day  in  my  bedroom  ?  Do  me  the  favor 
to  go  away  and  let  me  sleep." 

"  And  do  you,  monsieur  le  comte,  do  me  the  favor  to 
cover  yourself  with  the  bedclothes  again ;  you'll  take 
cold." 


A    GENTLEMAN  IN  BED  363 

"  A  truce  to  jesting,  monsieur  !  I  have  told  you  that 
I  would  not  fight  with  you ;  I  repeat  it.  There  is  nothing 
to  keep  you  here,  therefore." 

"  O  my  dear  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere — I  believe  that 
is  your  name,  De  la  Beriniere,  is  it  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur;  that  is  my  name." 

"  My  dear  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  when  I  take  it 
into  my  head  to  do  a  thing,  I  assure  you  that  it  has  to 
be  done.  I  have  promised  myself  to  fight  with  you — 
unless,  however,  you  give  me  your  word  of  honor  to 
renounce  your  project  of  marrying  Auguste  Monleard's 
widow.  In  that  case,  I  am  content.  Does  that  suit 
you  ?  " 

"  On  my  word,  this  is  too  much  !  " 

"  What  is  it  that's  too  much  ?  " 

"  You  disgust  me,*  monsieur !  " 

"  Do  I,  indeed  ?  Gad!  you  are  not  to  be  pitied,  in  such 
weather  as  this.  So  you  won't  give  her  up  ?  " 

"What  do  you  take  me  for,  in  God's  name?  " 

"  Then  you  agree  to  fight  ?  " 

"  Go  to  the  devil !  " 

"  In  that  case,  I  must  resort  to  decisive  measures." 

And  Cherami,  raising  his  switch,  caused  it  to  whistle 
about  the  count's  ears,  but  without  touching  him ;  that 
manoeuvring  sufficed,  however,  to  make  Monsieur  de 
la  Beriniere  straighten  himself  up  and  cry,  in  a  furious 
rage: 

"  You  are  a  villain,  monsieur !  " 

"  Aha !  you're  awake  at  last,  are  you  ?  " 

"You  will  give  me  satisfaction  for  this  indecent  be- 
havior, monsieur ! " 

*Vous  me  faites  sutr;  literally,  "you  make  me  sweat,"  which  explains 
Cherami 's  retort. 


364  MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 

"  That  is  just  what  I  have  been  asking  you  for,  for  the 
past  hour." 

"  Leave  your  address  ;  my  seconds  will  call  upon  you 
to-morrow  at  eight  o'clock;  see  that  yours  are  there, 
also." 

Cherami  scratched  his  ear,  muttering : 

"  My  seconds !  Do  we  need  any  seconds  ?  Why  not 
settle  the  business  at  once,  between  ourselves  ?  " 

"  Oho !  monsieur,  so  you  never  have  fought  a  duel  ?  " 

"  More  than  you  have,  I'll  wager." 

"  Then  you  should  know  that  people  don't  fight  with- 
out seconds ;  it  is  forbidden." 

"  I  am  very  well  aware  that  it  is  customary  to  have 
them ;  but  we  don't  always  conform  to  custom.  For 
instance,  Monsieur  Monleard  and  I  fought  without 
seconds." 

"  But,  monsieur,  as  I  have  no  desire  to  find  myself 
with  a  wretched  affair  on  my  hands  on  your  account,  I 
tell  you  that  I  will  not  fight  without  seconds." 

"  So  be  it !     As  you  insist  upon  it,  we  will  have  them." 

"  Your  address,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  Here  it  is :  Cherami,  Hotel  du  Bel-Air,  Rue  de 
1'Orillon,  Belleville." 

"  Belleville  !     So  you  don't  live  in  Paris  ?  " 

"  I  am  in  the  suburbs.     Does  that  disturb  you  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  matter  of  absolute  indifference  to  me ;  but  my 
seconds  will  not  call  on  you  until  ten  o'clock,  for  I  don't 
choose  to  make  them  get  up  at  daylight." 

"  At  ten  o'clock,  then,  I  will  expect  them.  And  now, 
monsieur  le  comte,  permit  me  to  offer  you  my  respects." 

"  Good-day,  monsieur,  good-day !  " 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  buried  himself  anew  under 
the  bedclothes,  decidedly  put  out  by  the  visit  he  had 


THE  DAY  WITH  THE   RABBITS  365 

received.     As  for  Cherami,  he  said  to  himself  when  he 
was  in  the  street : 

"  I  have  my  cue  !  He  will  fight — aye,  but  my  sec- 
onds— I  must  have  two;  I  absolutely  must  have  them, 
or  no  duel.  Where  shall  I  find  them  ?  It's  damnably 
embarrassing.  I  can't  think  of  a  solitary  soul.  Sapristi ! 
where  can  I  find  two  seconds  ?  There's  nothing  to  be 
said ;  I  must  have  two,  and  two  passably  respectable 
ones,  to-morrow  morning ! " 


LI 

THE  DAY  WITH  THE  RABBITS 

On  leaving  Rue  de  la  Ville-l'Eveque,  Arthur  Cherami 
followed  the  boulevard  in  the  direction  of  the  Bastille ; 
he  did  not  take  an  omnibus — first,  because  he  was  in  no 
hurry ;  and,  secondly,  because  he  had  reflected : 

"  If  I  could  happen  to  meet  in  the  street  some  old 
friend,  some  good  fellow,  I  would  ask  him  to  be  my 
second.  On  a  pinch,  if  it  was  necessary,  I  would  sacri- 
fice myself  so  far  as  to  pay  for  his  breakfast  or  dinner — 
but  at  a  soup-kitchen  only." 

But  Cherami  arrived  at  Boulevard  du  Temple,  without 
falling  in  with  what  he  sought. 

"  Shall  I  go  home  ?  "  he  thought ;  "  what's  the  use  ? 
My  hotel  is  not  the  place  to  find  what  I  want ;  the  poor 
devils  who  lodge  there  seldom  wear  coats.  I  am  sure 
that  this  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  will  send  me  two  very 
distinguished  gentlemen ;  they  will  turn  up  their  noses 
enough  when  they  see  the  Widow  Louchard's  hotel ;  I 


366  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

must  confront  them  with  men  who  represent Dam- 
nation !  I  haven't  my  cue !  it's  infernally  embarrassing ! 
The  devil  take  the  obstinacy  of  that  count,  who  insists 
on  having  seconds !  " 

As  he  walked  on,  Cherami  saw  a  short  man  coming 
toward  him,  armed  with  a  pretty  cane  of  cherry  wood. 

"  Here  comes  a  grotesque  figure  which  reminds  me 
of  a  clown  I  have  seen  somewhere  or  other,"  he  said  to 
himself.  "  Pardieu  !  it's  Courbichon.  I  must  catch  him 
on  the  wing." 

The  little  bald  man  was  speechless  with  surprise  when 
he  found  his  passage  barred  by  a  tall  man;  and  he  seemed 
by  no  means  pleased  when  he  recognized  the  gentleman 
with  whom  he  had  dined  on  the  Champs-Elysees. 

But  Cherami  seized  his  hand  and  shook  it  warmly. 

"  A  lucky  meeting ! "  he  said ;  "  it  is  my  dear  Mon- 
sieur Courbichon  !  Bone  Deus  !  So  we  are  no  longer  in 
Touraine  ?  " 

"  Ah  !  monsieur,  I  have  the  honor — no,  as  you  see,  I 
am  in  Paris." 

"And  fresher  and  lustier  than  ever !  I  am  tempted  to 
repeat  the  fable :  '  How  pretty  you  are !  how  handsome 
you  look  to  me ! ' ' 

"  You  don't  need  to  :   I  know  it." 

"That's  a  pretty  cane  you  have  there.  It  isn't  the 
same  one,  is  it  ?  " 

"No,  monsieur;  it  certainly  isn't  the  one  you  broke." 

"  Didn't  you  have  it  mended  ?  " 

"  It  wasn't  mendable,  monsieur." 

"  Nonsense !  why,  they  even  mend  porcelain  !  This  is 
cherry,  I  see ;  let  me  look  at  it." 

Cherami  put  out  his  hand  for  the  cane,  but  Monsieur 
Courbichon  hastily  put  it  behind  his  back. 


THE  DAY  WITH  THE  RABBITS  367 

"  No,  no,"  he  cried ;  "  I  have  no  desire  that  you  should 
break  this  one  too ;  one  was  quite  enough." 

"  Oh !  mon  Dieu !  my  excellent  and  worthy  friend, 
who  said  anything  about  breaking  your  cane  ?  There  is 
nobody  throwing  skittles  at  your  legs  at  this  moment, 
and  I  fancy  that  this  switch  is  worth  quite  as  much  as 
your  cherry  stick." 

"  Did  this  one  come  from  China,  too  ?  " 

"  No,  my  boy.  Do  not  revive  my  sorrow!  My  Chinese 
switch  will  never  be  replaced;  but  enough  about  canes.  I 
have  a  very  great  favor  to  ask  of  you,  my  dear  Monsieur 
Courbichon,  one  of  those  favors  which  a  man  of  honor 
never  refuses  to  grant." 

"  I  have  no  money  with  me  at  this  moment,  monsieur ; 
and  it  would  be  impossible  for  me " 

"  Who  the  devil  said  anything  about  money  ?  Mor- 
dieu !  do  I  look  like  a  man  who  borrows  money  ?  " 

Monsieur  Courbichon  examined  Cherami,  who  had 
made  himself  as  fine  as  possible  for  his  visit  to  Monsieur 
de  la  Beriniere ;  and  he  took  off  his  hat,  murmuring : 

"  I  beg  your  pardon ;  indeed,  I  had  not  noticed 

But  what  is  the  favor  you  wish  to  ask  me,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  A  nothing,  a  mere  bagatelle — to  act  as  my  second  in 
a  duel,  to-morrow." 

"A  duel!  it's  about  a  duel!  and  you  dare  to  propose 
to  me  to  take  part  in  it!  What  have  I  done  to  you, 
monsieur,  that  you  should  suggest  such  a  thing  to  me  ?  " 

"  I  tell  you,  Monsieur  Courbichon,  it's  a  mere  matter 
of  form ;  the  seconds  don't  fight." 

"  I,  be  present  at  a  duel !  Understand  that  I  never 
fought  a  duel,  monsieur!  I  would  rather  die  than  fight! " 

"You  are  like  Gribouille,  then,  who  jumped  into  the 
water  for  fear  of  the  rain." 


368  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  It's  an  outrage,  your  proposition  to  me  !  I  will  re- 
quest you,  monsieur,  not  to  speak  to  me  hereafter.  I  do 
not  consort  with  men  who  fight  duels,  not  I !  Don't 
detain  me,  or  I  shall  call  for  help." 

The  little  bald  man  almost  ran  away.  Cherami 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  saying  to  himself: 

"  Old  guinea-hen !  I  might  have  guessed  that  the 
simple  word  duel  would  frighten  him  !  He  won't  be  my 
second.  Sapristi !  I  haven't  my  cue !  " 

Cherami  was  almost  at  the  end  of  Boulevard  Beau- 
marchais,  when  he  heard  a  voice  exclaim : 

"  Yes,  yes,  it's  him ;  there  he  is — the  man  who  keeps 
us  waiting  for  dinner,  and  never  comes  !  God  bless 
my  soul !  it  takes  you  a  long  time  to  smoke  your 
cigar." 

At  the  sound  of  those  familiar  accents,  Beau  Arthur 
turned,  and  saw  Madame  Capucine,  attended  as  always 
by  her  two  brats ;  the  elder  still  wearing  his  Henri  IV 
hat,  with  the  feathers  falling  over  his  eyes ;  the  younger 
eating  gingerbread,  and  finding  a  way  to  stuff  his  fingers 
into  his  nose  at  the  same  time. 

"Ah !  upon  my  word,  it's  the  lovely  Madame  Capu- 
cine," said  Cherami,  joining  the  group. 

The  stout  woman,  glancing  at  her  debtor's  fashionable 
attire,  smiled  amiably,  as  she  rejoined : 

"  I  ought  not  to  speak  to  you  again,  by  good  rights ! 
That  was  a  very  pretty  trick  you  played  us  at  Passy :  to 
leave  us  on  the  pretext  of  smoking  a  cigar  !  Oh  !  mon- 
sieur would  only  be  gone  a  few  minutes;  and  it  was 
eleven  months  ago !  " 

"  I  was  blameworthy,  I  know  it ;  I  treated  you  badly ! 
But  if  you  knew  what  events  were  in  store  for  me  that 
day  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne  ! " 


THE  DAY  WITH   THE   RABBITS  369 

"  My  aunt  bears  you  a  grudge !  Oh !  she's  furious 
with  you." 

"  I  will  make  my  peace  with  the  venerable  Madame 
Duponceau.  And  the  first  time  that  I  go  to  the  Bois 
de  Boulogne " 

"  No,  no ;  you  needn't  go  to  the  Bois  de  Boulogne  for 
that.  My  aunt  isn't  at  Passy  now;  she  didn't  like  it 
there.  It's  a  place  where  you  have  to  dress  too  much ; 
it's  enough  to  ruin  you." 

"  Ah !  so  the  dear  aunt  has  changed  her  villa  once 
more?  She  is  just  a  little  bit  fickle.  And  whither 
has  she  transported  her  sheep — that  is  to  say,  her  rural 
Penates  ?  " 

"To  Saint-Mande.  You  see,  we're  just  going  to  take 
the  omnibus  to  go  there." 

"  What !  you  are  going  to  your  aunt's  ?  How  funny  ! 
It  seems  to  be  written  that  I  shall  always  meet  you, 
lovely  creature,  when  you  are  on  your  way  to  your 
aunt's.  But  this  isn't  Saturday  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  to-morrow  is  my  aunt's  birthday,  Saint 
Elisabeth's  day ;  and  it's  our  duty  to  go  to  wish  her 
many  happy  returns." 

"Ah!  yes,  I  understand;  Madame  Duponceau's  name 
is  Elisabeth." 

"  Do  you  want  to  make  your  peace  with  her  ?  Here's 
an  excellent  chance.  Come  with  us ;  you  can  congratu- 
late my  aunt,  and  dine  at  Saint-Mande.  My  husband  is 
coming  to  join  us  there  at  five  o'clock." 

Cherami  reflected  for  some  minutes.  He  remembered 
that  Capucine  was  a  corporal  in  the  National  Guard,  and 
thought  that  he  might  perhaps  consent  to  act  as  his 
second.  That  hope  decided  him ;  he  smiled  at  his  stout 
friend,  and  replied : 


370  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"You  do  whatever  you  please  with  me.  I  had  im- 
portant business  in  Paris;  but  your  husband  can  help 
me  about  it,  I  think.  I  am  at  your  service.  Ho  for 
Saint-Mande ! " 

"  Good !  you  are  very  obliging.  If  you  go  on  as  you 
have  begun,  I  will  forgive  you,  too." 

These  words  were  accompanied  by  a  languishing  glance 
of  immeasurable  length.  It  made  Cherami  shudder. 

"  I  am  terribly  afraid,"  he  thought,  "  that  she  would 
like  me  to  take  up  Ballot's  duties." 

Madame  Capucine  called  Jacqueline.  An  old  servant, 
all  twisted  and  bent,  came  limping  along,  with  an  enor- 
mous basket  on  her  arm. 

"Tudieu!"  thought  Cherami;  "here's  a  soubrette  who 
will  hardly  divert  the  attention  of  the  haberdasher's  young 
clerk." 

"  Is  the  'bus  there,  Jacqueline  ?  " 

"  It's  just  comin',  madame." 

"  Let's  hurry  up  and  get  seats,  Monsieur  Cherami. 
Will  you  take  Aristoloche  by  the  hand  ?  " 

"  With  pleasure." 

"  My !  what  a  pleasant  surprise  this  will  be  for  Aunt 
Duponceau  !  She's  very  fond  of  you,  you  fickle  man  !  " 

"  She  has  no  ingrate  to  deal  with,  in  me." 

They  entered  the  omnibus,  and  Cherami  agreed  to  hold 
young  Aristoloche  on  his  knees,  in  order  to  save  his 
mamma  six  sous.  She  tried  to  provide  for  Narcisse  in 
the  servant's  lap,  but  the  conductor  declared  that  he  must 
pay,  which  seemed  to  cause  Jacqueline  the  keenest  satis- 
faction. At  last  they  started,  and  in  due  time  arrived  at 
Saint-Mande. 

Madame  Duponceau's  latest  purchase  was  ai  the  en- 
trance to  the  avenue.  The  house  was  even  smaller  than 


THE  DAY  WITH  THE  RABBITS  371 

that  at  Passy ;  and  there  was  no  garden :  it  was  replaced 
by  a  courtyard  in  which  naught  could  be  seen,  in  any 
direction,  save  rabbit-hutches ;  it  was  a  veritable  library 
of  rabbits. 

The  aunt  appeared,  shaking  her  head  as  always.  She 
uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  when  she  saw  Cherami,  then 
offered  him  her  cheek,  saying: 

"  Kiss  me ;  I  forgive  your  disappearance  at  Passy." 

The  penalty  seemed  to  Cherami  a  little  severe,  but  he 
submitted  to  it ;  and  while  he  was  in  training,  Madame 
Capucine  offered  him  her  cheek. 

"  Do  the  same  for  me,"  she  said ;  "  I  forgive  you,  too." 

"  The  devil !  this  dinner  comes  pretty  high! "  said  Beau 
Arthur  to  himself,  after  kissing  both  ladies. 

"  You  must  come  and  see  what  a  pretty  little  place  I've 
got,"  said  Madame  Duponceau ;  "  what  a  pity  that  you 
always  come  in  winter !  " 

"  I  don't  see  what  difference  that  makes  here,  as  you 
have  no  garden." 

"  But  I  have  rabbits." 

"  Are  they  finer  in  summer  than  in  winter  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  they  show  themselves  more,  because  they 
ain't  cold." 

"  They  show  themselves  quite  enough  as  it  is,  in  my 
opinion.  I  should  be  glad  of  a  little  refreshment." 

"And  then  you  must  tell  us  what  happened  to  you 
at  Passy  that  kept  you  from  coming  back  to  dinner 
with  us." 

Cherami  allowed  himself  to  be  taken  all  over  the  house; 
he  was  not  even  spared  an  inspection  of  the  attic.  He 
found  everything  charming,  admirable,  even  the  lean-to 
where  the  servant  slept.  At  last,  when  the  inspec- 
tion was  at  an  end,  they  begged  him  to  tell  them  his 


372  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

adventures  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne.  He  told  the  whole 
story,  taking  care  not  to  mention  names ;  and  when  he 
had  finished,  Madame  Duponceau  cried : 

"  That's  what  it  is  to  fight  a  duel  with  pistols  ! " 

"  Corbleu  de  mordieu  !  "  thought  Cherami ;  "  what  an 
idiot  I  am  to  take  the  trouble  to  tell  anything  to  such 
mummies !  This  will  teach  me  a  lesson;  I  ought  to  have 
told  them  about  Blue  Beard." 

The  dinner  hour  arrived,  but  Monsieur  Capucine  did 
not.  They  waited  another  half-hour ;  but  the  two  boys 
complained  so  loudly  of  hunger,  that  it  was  decided  to 
adjourn  to  the  table. 

First  came  a  thin  soup,  then  a  rabbit-stew,  then  a 
roasted  rabbit. 

Cherami,  seeing  nothing  but  rabbit,  made  a  wry  face, 
and  muttered  under  his  breath  : 

"  Apparently  they  are  on  a  rabbit  diet  here.  And  that 
miserable  Capucine  doesn't  come !  To  have  nothing  to 
eat  but  rabbit,  and  not  obtain  a  second !  what,  in  God's 
name,  did  I  come  to  this  hole  for  ?  " 

By  way  of  vegetables,  of  which  there  were  none,  a  dish 
of  minced  rabbit,  stuffed  with  chestnuts,  was  served. 

"  It's  very  strange  that  my  husband  doesn't  come ! " 
said  the  corpulent  dame ;  "  he  must  have  had  some  order 
to  be  filled  in  a  hurry." 

"And  then,  perhaps  he  doesn't  like  rabbit?"  suggested 
Cherami. 

"  Oh  !  yes,  he  eats  it." 

"  What's  that  ?  Par  la  sambleu  !  I  eat  it,  too,  and  I've 
been  eating  it  for  an  hour,  but  I  don't  like  it  any  better 
for  that." 

"  You  don't  like  it  ?  What  a  pity  !  there's  more  of  it 
coming ! " 


THE  DAY   WITH  THE  RABBITS  373 

"  A  rabbit-cream,  perhaps  ?  " 

"  No,  a  pie." 

"  Thanks ;  if  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  take  some  cheese, 
as  a  pleasant  substitute.  Gad !  I  don't  wonder  that  your 
yard  is  carpeted  with  rabbit-hutches ;  they  are  productive 
evidently." 

"  Much  more  so  than  fruit  trees." 

"Well,  well!  I  see  that  you  will  end  by  preserving 
them.  But  your  wine  is  good,  that's  something." 

"  Here's  my  aunt's  health ! " 

"  With  great  pleasure.     Vive  Elisabeth !  " 

"  Aristoloche  and  Narcisse,  now  recite  your  congratu- 
lations." 

"  What !  have  the  dear  children  learned  something  by 
heart  ?  " 

"  Yes,  aunt ;  we'll  show  you." 

"  Oh !  the  dear  loves,  how  sweet  of  them !  Who  wrote 
them  ?  " 

"  My  husband,  aunt ;  they  are  in  poetry ! " 

"  Your  husband  writes  poetry  ?  I  didn't  know  he  had 
that  talent ;  how  long  has  he  been  a  poet  ?  " 

"  Since  we  have  had  for  a  customer  a  literary  man  who 
writes  mottoes ;  he  brings  us  some  every  time  he  comes 
to  the  house.  Come,  Aristoloche,  begin.  Go  and  stand 
in  front  of  your  aunt ;  and  pronounce  your  words  plain." 


374 


MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 


LI  I 

MADAME  CAPUCINE'S  LITTLE  SONS 

The  little  fellow  tried  first  of  all  to  obtain  possession  of 
the  visitor's  stick,  and  to  gallop  round  the  table  astride  it ; 
they  could  not  succeed  in  making  him  behave  except  by 
promising  him  that,  if  he  would  repeat  his  verses  nicely, 
he  should  play  with  a  rabbit  which  was  very  gentle  and 
which  was  sometimes  brought  into  the  salon  to  entertain 
the  company. 

At  last,  Master  Aristoloche  took  his  stand  in  front  of  his 
great-aunt,  and  recited  without  stopping  to  take  breath  : 

"  '  Ah  !  quel  bonheur,  en  ce  beau  jour, 
De  vous  prouver  tout  mon  amour ! 
Du  plaisir,  je  suis  dans  1'attente, 
Quand  je  dois  aller  chez  ma  tante ! 
En  amour  comme  en  amitie 
Sachez  tout  mettre  de  moitieV  " 

"  It  is  easy  to  see  that  our  papa  knows  a  maker  of 
mottoes,"  thought  Cherami. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  my  husband's  poetry  ?  "  asked 
Madame  Capucine. 

"  It  is  the  more  ingenious  in  that  it  can  be  adapted  to 
any  possible  occasion." 

"  And  you,  aunt  ?  " 

Madame  Duponceau  was  delighted  with  the  verses, 
and  said  to  the  boy,  after  giving  him  a  kiss : 

"  Go  and  find  the  maid,  and  tell  her  to  give  you  Coco 
to  play  with." 


MADAME   CAPUCINE'S  LITTLE  SONS  375 

Master  Aristoloche  disappeared;  it  was  his  brother's 
turn  to  recite  his  congratulations;  but  young  Narcisse 
was  sulky;  he  rebelled. 

"  Well,  monsieur,"  said  his  mother,  "  come  and  repeat 
your  poetry  to  your  aunt." 

"  No,  I  won't ;  it  makes  me  sick." 

"What  do  I  hear,  Monsieur  Narcisse?  What  is  the 
meaning  of  that  answer  ?  " 

"  I  mean  what  I  say ;  you  always  let  Aristoloche  play 
with  Coco,  and  never  let  me." 

"  Will  you  hold  your  tongue — a  great  tall  boy  like 
you !  just  beginning  to  learn  to  write.  You,  want  to 
play  with  the  little  rabbit ! " 

"  Yes,  I  like  rabbits,  and  I  want  to  play  with  "em." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Cherami,  "  that  you  ought  not 
to  be  too  hard  on  the  child  for  liking  rabbits ;  this  is  a 
good  school  for  that.  By  dint  of  eating  a  thing,  one 
sometimes  ends  by  acquiring  a  taste  for  it.  When  I 
was  a  boy,  I  remember,  I  could  not  endure  bread-soup, 
but  they  made  me  eat  it  every  day  to  force  me  to 
like  it." 

"  And  you  ended  by  liking  it  ?  " 

"No;  I  detest  it!" 

"  Come,  Narcisse,  come  and  recite  your  poetry  to  your 
dear  aunt — if  you  don't,  she  won't  give  you  another 
beautiful  hat  with  feathers." 

"  I  don't  want  any  more  of  her  feathers ;  they  make  me 
blind.  Somebody  told  me  that  I  looked  like  a  trained 
dog  in  that  hat." 

"  Look  out,  Monsieur  Narcisse,  or  we  shall  be  cross 
with  you  !  Your  poetry,  this  minute  !  " 

"  No,  I  won't !  " 

"  Ah !  we'll  see  about  that,  you  little  rascal ! " 


376  MONSIEUR    CHEKAMI 

Madame  Capucine  left  the  table,  seized  Cherami's 
switch,  which  was  standing  in  a  corner,  and  advanced 
upon  her  son ;  but  young  Narcisse,  when  he  saw  what 
he  was  threatened  with,  began  to  run  around  the  table, 
thus  compelling  his  mother,  still  armed  with  the  formi- 
dable switch,  to  run  after  him,  striking  blindly  in  every 
direction.  Thinking  that  she  was  chastising  her  son, 
she  twice  brought  the  switch  down  on  Cherami's  shoul- 
ders, who  found  the  manoeuvre  executed  by  the  stout 
woman  and  her  son  far  from  amusing,  although  it  re- 
minded him  somewhat  of  a  circus  performance. 

At  last,  seeing  that  he  was  on  the  point  of  being  cap- 
tured, Narcisse  changed  his  tactics,  and  slipped  under 
the  table.  Madame  Capucine,  although  disconcerted  for 
a  moment  by  this  evolution,  soon  found  a  way  to  profit 
by  it ;  she  thrust  her  switch  under  the  table,  striking  at 
random  to  right  and  left.  Thereupon,  the  old  aunt  began 
to  cry  out :  her  niece  was  switching  her  legs.  Luckily, 
Cherami  succeeded  in  pulling  Narcisse  out  from  under 
the  table;  he  was  forced  to  stand  in  front  of  Madame 
Duponceau ;  and  his  mother  stationed  herself  by  his  side, 
with  her  stick  in  the  air,  saying  in  a  threatening  tone : 

"  Your  poetry,  quick  !  " 

Master  Narcisse,  although  still  in  the  sulks,  decided  to 
obey,  and  muttered  in  a  drawling  voice : 

"  '  Ah  !  que  je  suis — Ah !  que  je  suis  done  content ! 
De  vous— de  vous — de  vous '  " 

"  De  vous,  what,  idiot  ?  " 
"  I  forget." 

"You  just  wait,  and  I'll  freshen  your  memory,  you 
bad  boy!" 

"  '  De  vous  fSter,  objet  charmant '  " 


MADAME   CAPUCINE' S  LITTLE  SONS  377 

"  It  can't  be  objet  charmant !    I  know  that's  wrong." 

"  Why  do  you  think  it  can't  be  objet  charmant,  niece, 
I  should  like  to  know?"  said  Madame  Duponceau, 
pursing  up  her  lips. 

"  Because,  aunt,  I  am  perfectly  sure  it's  something 
else." 

"  In  my  judgment,"  interposed  Cherami,  "  objet  char- 
mant should  be  allowed  to  remain ;  the  expression  is 
most  appropriate." 

The  old  aunt  was  so  delighted  by  the  compliment,  that 
she  left  her  seat  and  embraced  her  guest  again. 

"  That  will  teach  me  to  hold  my  tongue  !  "  said  Cher- 
ami  to  himself. 

"  Come,  monsieur;  go  on  with  your  poetry,"  continued 
Madame  Capucine. 

"  '  De  vous — de  vous — ffcter  en  ce  moment,'  " 

began  Narcisse. 

"  You  see ! "  cried  Madame  Capucine ;  "  I  knew  it 
wasn't  objet  charmant" 

"It's  hardly  worth  while  to  interrupt  just  for  that, 
niece.  Go  on,  my  boy." 

But  young  Aristoloche  had  entered  the  dining-room, 
holding  in  his  arms  a  little  white  rabbit,  which  he  was 
tickling  with  a  stick.  That  spectacle  sadly  distracted  the 
attention  of  Master  Narcisse,  whom  his  mother  continued 
to  threaten  with  the  switch  to  make  him  finish  his  lines. 
But  Narcisse,  as  he  recited,  kept  turning  to  look  at  his 
brother. 

1 '  Quand  je  me  trouve  a  votre  table — a  votre  table ' 

I'll  fix  you,  if  you  don't  give  me  the  rabbit  when  I  get 
through." 


378  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  No,  they  gave  the  rabbit  to  me — see !  " 

"  'A  votre  table — a  votre  table — 
Ah  !  que  le  temps ' 

I'll  box  your  ears 

'estagreable!'" 

"  Mamma,  brother  says  he'll  lick  me !  " 

"  Don't  listen  to  him,  darling ;  he's  the  one  who'll  be 
licked,  if  he  doesn't  say  his  poetry  better  for  his  aunt. 
Come,  Monsieur  Narcisse." 

"  '  Voulez-vous  lire  dans  mon  coeur ' 

Wait  till  you  want  my  battledore  again  !  " 
"  I  don't  want  it ;  papa'll  give  me  another.  " 

"  '  Dans  mon  coeur ' 

Let  Coco  go." 

"  No,  I  won't  let  him  go." 

"  All  right ;  I'll  fix  you  in  a  minute 

'  Dans  mon  coeur — vous  y  verrez  mon  ardeur.' ' ' 

"  You  said  that  as  badly  as  you  could,  monsieur !  but 
you'll  have  to  say  it  better  at  breakfast  to-morrow." 

"Oh !  mamma,  mamma ;  he's  trying  to  take  Coco  away 
from  me." 

Narcisse,  having  finished  his  congratulations,  had  run 
after  his  brother  and  was  trying  to  obtain  possession  of 
the  rabbit;  Madame  Capucine,  to  put  an  end  to  the 
dispute,  turned  her  elder  son  out  of  the  dining-room, 
with  an  accompaniment  of  kicks  in  the  posterior;  then 
returned  to  her  seat  beside  Cherami. 

"And,  after  all,"  she  said,  "  my  husband  didn't  come !  " 


MADAME   CAPUCINE'S  LITTLE  SONS  379 

"And  he  probably  won't  come  now,  for  it's  almost  nine 
o'clock.  I  am  very  sorry  for  that;  I  wanted  to  speak 
to  him." 

"  About  that  little  bill  ?  Oh !  there's  no  hurry  about 
that" 

"  It  was  about  something  else." 

"  Well,  I  am  going  to  have  a  very  uncomfortable  night 
of  it.  You  must  know  that  I'm  very  timid  in  the  country. 
It's  foolish  of  me,  I  know  that  well  enough ;  for  nothing 
ever  happens  to  my  aunt,  who  lives  here  alone  with  her 
servant ;  but  what  can  I  do  ?  one  can't  control  those 
things.  When  my  husband's  in  bed  beside  me,  that  gives 
me  courage,  and  I  can  sleep  a  little.  But  without  him — 
why,  I  can't  close  my  eyes.  If  we  only  had  a  man  in 
the  house ;  but  nothing  but  women  and  children  !  What 
would  become  of  us  if  we  should  be  attacked  ?  " 

"  What's  the  meaning  of  this  attempt  to  entrap  me  ?  " 
thought  Cherami,  stroking  his  whiskers ;  "  I  can  see  my- 
self passing  the  night  here,  to  eat  more  rabbit  to-morrow 
morning!  On  the  contrary,  I  can't  be  off  soon  enough." 

"  Well,  Monsieur  Cherami,"  continued  Madame  Capu- 
cine,  with  a  tender  glance  at  her  neighbor,  "  do  you  refuse 
to  watch  over  us  to-night?  You  are  your  own  master; 
what  is  there  to  prevent  you  from  sleeping  here  ?  If  you 
would,  I  should  feel  perfectly  safe,  and  I  should  have  a 
quiet  night.  There's  a  guest-chamber  just  opposite  mine." 

The  last  words  were  accompanied  by  a  sidelong  glance 
ending  in  a  sigh.  Cherami  began  to  cough  in  a  significant 
fashion,  and  whispered : 

"On  the  same  floor?" 

"Yes;  you  can  understand  what  a  relief  it  will  be 
to  me." 

"  I  understand  perfectly." 


380  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"Then  you'll  stay  with  us,  won't  you?  When  the 
children  have  gone  to  bed,  we'll  play  a  game  of  loto." 

"  That  is  a  very  seductive  prospect." 

"  You  shall  draw  the  numbers." 

"  You  will  see  how  well  I  do  it ! " 

At  that  moment,  Madame  Duponceau's  servant  rushed 
into  the  dining-room  and  exclaimed  in  dismay : 

"  O  madame !  madame !  if  you  knew ! " 

"What  is  it,  then,  Fran9oise,  for  heaven's  sake?  You 
frighten  me ! " 

"  There's  reason  enough !  " 

"  Is  the  house  on  fire  ?  " 

"  Is  it  robbers  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  your  rabbits.  That  little  scamp  of  a  Narcisse 
has  opened  all  the  hutches,  and  the  rabbits  are  all  loose ; 
they're  running  everywhere — into  the  yard,  and  the  cellar, 
and  upstairs." 

"  Oh !  mon  Dieu !  what  do  you  mean  ?  We  must  catch 
them!  Niece,  Monsieur  Cherami,  come  quick,  I  beg  you! 
Bring  candles !  Oh !  my  poor  rabbits !  " 

Everybody  hurried  into  the  yard.  In  the  confusion, 
Cherami  did  not  fail  to  take  his  hat  and  cane ;  but,  instead 
of  going  to  the  yard,  he  headed  for  the  front  door,  crying : 

"  There  go  two  of  them  into  the  road  !  I'll  run  after 
them." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  I  saw  them." 

"  How  could  they  have  got  out  ?  " 

"  Under  the  gate.  They  scratched  till  they  made  a 
hole.  But  don't  be  disturbed ;  I'll  catch  them,  if  I  have 
to  chase  them  to  Vincennes !  " 

And  Cherami  ran  out  into  the  road,  leaving  the  ladies 
and  the  servant  to  hunt  the  rabbits. 


CHERAMI' S  SECONDS  381 


LIII 

CHERAMI'S  SECONDS 

Cherami  went  across  fields  to  the  village  of  Bagno- 
let,  thence  to  Belleville,  and  returned  to  his  domicile, 
consigning  the  Capucine  family  and  its  rabbits  to  the 
evil  one. 

"  No  seconds,"  he  said  to  himself,  as  he  went  to  bed ; 
"  and  the  count's  will  be  here  at  ten  o'clock  to-morrow ! 
No  matter ;  let's  go  to  sleep ;  it  will  be  light  to-morrow." 

At  seven  o'clock,  Cherami  rose,  dressed,  and  went  to 
his  window.  It  was  just  daylight,  and  Rue  de  1'Orillon 
was  deserted.  About  eight  o'clock,  a  water-carrier's  cart 
came  along.  It  stopped  in  front  of  Madame  Louchard's 
house,  and  the  master  carrier  and  his  man  came  upstairs 
with  their  pails. 

Cherami  opened  his  door,  and  scrutinized  the  two  men 
closely  as  they  came  up. 

"  There  are  two  stout  fellows,"  he  mused.  "  Sapristi ! 
such  seconds  would  just  do  for  my  affair!  Why  not? 
Pardieu !  by  making  a  slight  sacrifice ;  and  this  is  no 
time  for  economizing,  but  for  going  through  with  my 
duel  in  a  dignified  way.  Gad  !  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  it's  a  good  idea;  I  see  no  other  way  of  obtaining 
seconds." 

Cherami  waited  for  the  two  men  to  come  down  the 
stairs ;  he  stopped  them  as  they  passed,  asked  them  into 
his  room,  and  said  to  them : 

"  I  have  a  favor  to  ask  of  you,  messieurs." 


382  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

The  master,  a  tall,  robust  Auvergnat,  replied,  in  the 
accent  of  his  province  : 

"A  pail  to  fill?" 

"  No." 

"  Do  you  want  some  water  ?  " 

"  It  is  something  out  of  your  regular  line.  It  will  be 
a  change  for  you." 

"  We  must  serve  our  customers." 

"  Listen  to  me  first.  If  your  customers  should  be 
served  a  little  later  than  usual  for  once,  it  won't  kill 
them.  I  have  a  duel  to  arrange  for.  Do  you  know 
what  a  duel  is  ?  " 

"  It's  a  clock  that  strikes  the  hours,  ain't  it  ?  " 

"  You  are  a  long  way  off." 

The  apprentice,  a  young  Piedmontese,  nearly  six  feet 
tall,  suddenly  exclaimed : 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  the  vendetta,  basta !  I've  seen 
friends  who'd  been  out  to  fight  with  fists." 

"  Your  young  man  understands  rather  better ;  yes,  a 
duel's  a  fight,  but  not  with  fists." 

"  Where  do  you  fight  ?  "  rejoined  the  Piedmontese. 

Cherami  made  a  wry  face,  muttering : 

"  Sapristi !  I  prefer  the  Auvergnat  accent  to  that  jar- 
gon.— Look  you,  messieurs,  I  just  want  you  to  be  my 
seconds ;  I  expect  my  opponent's  seconds  here  at  ten 
o'clock,  and  you  must  both  be  here  then.  I  will  give 
you  a  hundred  sous  each  for  the  morning ;  and  you  will 
be  free  at  half-past  ten ;  for  the  fight  will  not  come  off 
till  to-morrow,  I  fancy." 

"All  right!  five  francs;  all  right!" 

"  What  have  we  got  to  do  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  my  boy,  you  will  be  good  enough 
not  to  speak  at  all ;  for  you  have  a  way  of  pronouncing 


CHERAMI'S  SECONDS  383 

your  /'s  and  s's  which  will  produce  a  very  bad  effect. 
Your  master  can  say  that  you're  a  Pole,  and  that  you 
don't  know  a  word  of  French.  That's  your  role,  then 
— to  say  nothing.  But  I  must  dress  you,  my  friends ;  I 
can't  have  seconds  in  short  jackets.  Do  you  own  a  coat, 
my  boy  ?  " 

"  No,  but  I've  got  a  much  better  jacket." 

"  I  don't  want  seconds  in  jackets.  My  landlady  must 
have  some  coats  that  belonged  to  her  late  husband ;  we 
will  get  one  of  them.  Have  you  a  hat  ?  " 

"  I  have  a  new  cap." 

"  How  you  run  your  words  together !  We'll  find  a 
hat  somewhere  in  the  house. — And  you,  master — what's 
your  name  ?  " 

"  Michel." 

"  Good !  well,  Michel,  have  you  any  good  clothes  ?  " 

"Dame!  I  should  say  so;  my  new  frock-coat — only 
three  years  old — which  comes  down  to  my  heels." 

"  Then  I'll  make  an  old  soldier  of  you.  You  must 
put  on  a  black  stock.  Go  and  dress.  Put  your  cask  in 
a  safe  place,  and  come  back  at  once  with  your  man, 
whom  I  will  dress.  Be  here  at  half-past  nine,  and  I  will 
tell  you  what  you  have  to  do;  it  will  be  very  simple. 
You  will  agree  to  whatever  is  proposed  by  the  men  who 
come  here." 

"We  will  agree,  if  they'll  pay  for  something  to 
drink." 

"There's  no  question  of  taking  anything  to  drink. 
However,  I  shall  be  here;  I'll  prompt  you.  Go,  and 
make  haste." 

"  And  the  five  francs  ?  " 

"  Here  they  are ;  I  pay  in  advance ;  you  see  that  I 
have  confidence  in  you." 


384  MONSIEUR    CHER  AM  I 

"  Oh  !  never  fear ;  our  word's  sacred. — Come,  Pied- 
montese.  Let's  go  and  take  care  of  the  cask." 

"  Where'll  you  put  it  ?  " 

"  In  the  next  yard." 

The  water-carriers  departed,  and  Cherami  went  down 
to  his  landlady. 

"  Have  you  a  man's  hat  to  loan  me  for  this  morning 
and  to-morrow  ?  "  he  asked  her. 

"  A  man's  hat  ?     What  do  you  want  it  for  ?  " 

"  Don't  be  alarmed ;  I  don't  propose  to  make  an  omelet 
in  it,  as  the  prestidigitators  do ;  I  want  it  for  someone  to 
wear." 

"  Yes,  I  have  a  hat  that  belonged  to  Louchard,  which 
I  am  keeping  to  give  my  godson  when  he  grows  up." 

"  Do  me  the  favor  to  loan  it  to  me ;  I  will  take  the 
best  of  care  of  it." 

"  I  trust  you  will." 

Madame  Louchard  left  the  room,  and  soon  returned 
with  a  felt  hat  in  reasonably  good  condition. 

"  Look ;  I  call  that  rather  fine,  myself!  " 

"  The  devil !  it's  gray." 

"  Well !  it's  all  the  more  stylish." 

"  I  don't  say  it  isn't,  in  summer ;  but  in  November 
gray  hats  are  not  worn  much." 

"  If  you  don't  want  it,  leave  it." 

"  Never  mind ;  I'll  take  it.  A  Pole  may  like  gray  hats 
at  all  seasons.  Now,  Madame  Louchard,  I  must  have 
either  an  overcoat  or  a  frock-coat." 

"  I  have  nothing  but  a  green  sack-coat  of  Louchard's, 
which  I  also  intend  for  my  godson." 

"  A  sack-coat !  that's  risky,  because  it  shows  the  trou- 
sers !  But,  no  matter !  give  it  to  me." 

"  You'll  be  responsible  for  it  ?  " 


CHER  A  MI'S  SECONDS  385 

"I'll  be  responsible  for  everything." 

Cherami  returned  to  his  room  with  the  clothes;  at 
half-past  nine,  the  water-carriers  appeared.  The  Au- 
vergnat  wore  a  long  blue  overcoat  that  reached  to  his 
heels,  a  collar  that  came  to  the  bottom  of  his  ears,  and 
a  three-cornered  hat.  He  was  a  perfect  type  of  a  laun- 
dry man  going  out  to  dinner.  The  Piedmontese  was  still 
in  his  jacket;  but  he  had  on  a  white  striped  waistcoat 
and  olive-green  trousers.  Cherami  bade  him  put  on  the 
green  coat,  which  was  too  short  in  front  and  showed 
half  of  the  waistcoat.  By  way  of  compensation,  the  late 
Louchard  evidently  had  an  enormous  head,  for  the  gray 
hat  came  down  so  far  that  it  almost  concealed  the 
young  water-carrier's  eyes.  These  preparations  com- 
pleted, Cherami,  having  examined  his  two  seconds,  ex- 
claimed : 

"  What  in  the  devil  will  they  take  you  for  ?  However, 
damn  the  odds ! — You,  Piedmontese,  will  bow  whenever 
anyone  speaks  to  you,  but  you  must  not  say  a  word  in 
reply." 

"  Never  fear  !  what  would  I  say  to  them,  anyway  ?  " 

"  Very  good  !  You  are  Monsieur  de  Chamousky,  a 
Polish  nobleman." 

"  No  ;  for  I  was  born  in  Piedmont." 

"  Hold  your  tongue ;  I  make  you  a  Pole ! — You, 
Michel,  are  a  wealthy  landholder  from  Auvergne ;  at  all 
events,  you  will  be  rightfully  entitled  to  your  accent." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  have  some  land  at  home,  and  all  planted 
with  chestnuts." 

"The  gentlemen  who  are  coming  will  tell  you  what 
weapons  the  count  proposes  to  fight  with,  also  the  time 
and  place ;  to  whatever  they  propose,  you  will  reply : 
'  Very  well,  we  agree.' — Do  you  understand  ?  " 


386  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

"  Pardi !  that  ain't  very  hard :  'Very  well ;  that  hits  us ! '" 

"  I  didn't  say :  '  That  hits  us,'  but :  '  We  agree. '  " 

"  Bah  !  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing." 

"  No,  no !  Sacrebleu  !  it  doesn't  amount  to  the  same 
thing !  Don't  you  go  making  mistakes  ;  no  foolishness  ! 
Ah !  mon  Dieu  !  I  hear  a  carriage  stopping  in  front  of 
the  house ;  two  gentlemen  are  getting  out — they  are  the 
ones.  Attention !  I  leave  the  door  unlocked,  so  that 
they  can  open  it  themselves.  I  go  into  this  little  dark 
closet  for  a  moment ;  I  want  them  to  think  that  I  have 
more  than  this  one  room.  Now:  a  serious  face,  heads 
up,  and  be  cool !  " 

Cherami  disappeared.  The  two  water-carriers  stared 
at  each  other  in  speechless  amazement  to  see  themselves 
so  finely  arrayed.  Soon  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door ; 
then,  as  no  one  answered,  the  door  was  opened,  and 
Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere's  two  seconds  entered  the  room. 

One  was  a  man  of  some  fifty  years,  tall  and  thin,  with 
a  decidedly  unamiable  manner,  a  rigid  bearing,  and  a 
severely  simple  costume.  The  other,  who  was  at  least 
fifteen  years  younger,  with  a  pleasant  face,  and  dressed 
in  the  height  of  fashion,  had  all  the  manners  of  a  mod- 
ern Don  Juan.  He  entered  the  room  first,  and,  having 
glanced  about,  exclaimed : 

"  This  isn't  the  place ;  it  can't  be ;  the  woman  directed 
us  wrong." 

"  But  there  are  some  people  here,"  said  the  other ; 
"  we  had  better  inquire. — Monsieur  Cherami,  if  you 
please  ?  "  he  continued,  addressing  the  Auvergnat,  who 
stood  in  the  centre  of  the  room. 

The  water-carrier  buried  his  chin  in  his  cravat,  and 
answered,  without  hesitation : 

"  Very  well ;  we  agree." 


CHERAMrS  SECONDS  387 

The  old  gentleman  turned  to  his  companion,  who  said  : 

"  He  did  not  understand  you." — Whereupon  he,  in  his 
turn,  addressed  the  Auvergnat :  "  We  desire  to  know, 
monsieur,  if  this  is  where  Monsieur  Cherami  lives." 

Again  Michel  replied  in  his  deep  voice : 

"  Very  well ;  we  agree." 

At  that,  the  young  man  burst  out  laughing. 

"  Gad !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  this  is  evidently  a  joke,  a 
wager!  What  do  you  think  about  it,  Monsieur  de 
Maugrille  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  we  did  not  come  here  to  joke,  and 
if  I  knew  that  there  was  any  purpose  to  make  fools 
of  us " 

Cherami,  who  was  listening,  and  saw  that  his  seconds 
were  in  a  fair  way  to  wreck  the  whole  business,  hastily 
left  the  closet,  and  saluted  the  new-comers  with  much 
courtesy,  saying : 

"  Pardon,  messieurs,  a  thousand  pardons !  I  crave  a 
little  indulgence  for  my  seconds, — most  respectable  per- 
sons, by  the  way, — one  of  whom,  being  a  Pole,  recently 
arrived  in  France,  is  not  able  as  yet  to  express  his 
thoughts  in  our  language.  As  for  the  other,  Monsieur 
de  Saint-Michel,  a  wealthy  landholder  in  the  outskirts  of 
Clermont,  in  Auvergne — he  is  not  yet  at  home  in  all  the 
details  of  affairs  of  this  sort.  However,  messieurs,  as  I 
have  determined  in  advance  to  agree  to  what  Monsieur 
de  la  Beriniere  may  suggest,  it  seems  to  me  that  your 
mission  is  very  much  simplified,  and  that  the  affair  will 
settle  itself;  my  seconds  are  here  only  as  a  matter  of 
form." 

"Ordinarily,  monsieur,  the  details  of  a  meeting  are 
not  arranged  with  the  adversary  himself,  but  with  his 
seconds." 


388  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  I  know  it,  monsieur.  Pardieu  !  you  cannot  teach  me 
how  affairs  are  managed  in  duels ;  this  isn't  the  first  time 
I  have  fought." 

"  In  that  case,  monsieur,"  queried  the  younger  man, 
with  a  smile,  "  why  did  you  select  seconds  who  appar- 
ently have  no  understanding  of  what  is  going  on  ?  " 

"  Because  I  found  no  others  at  hand,  in  all  probability," 
retorted  Cherami,  biting  his  lips  wrathfully.  "  Come, 
messieurs,  let  us  come  to  terms.  Is  it  such  a  difficult 
matter,  pray,  to  tell  us  where,  when,  and  how  the  count 
proposes  to  fight  ?  " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  monsieur,"  observed  Monsieur 
de  Maugrille ;  "  but,  as  I,  for  my  part,  insist  that  every- 
thing shall  be  done  in  accordance  with  the  established 
etiquette  of  duels,  I  will  tell  your  seconds,  and  no  one 
else." 

"Tell  my  concierge,  if  you  choose;  it  makes  con- 
founded little  difference  to  me,  after  all." 

"  What  does  that  tone  mean,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  It  means  that  you  make  me  very  weary  with  all  your 
nonsense;  and  if  you're  not  satisfied  with  the  tone  I  adopt, 
why,  I'll  give  you  satisfaction  as  soon  as  I  have  done  with 
the  count ;  or  before,  if  you  choose." 

"  Monsieur ! " 

The  discussion  was  on  the  verge  of  ending  in  a  quarrel, 
when  the  Auvergnat,  seeing  that  things  seemed  to  be 
approaching  a  crisis,  shouted  in  stentorian  tones : 

"  Very  well,  fouchtra!  very  well !    We  agree,  I  say !  " 

This  outburst  was  delivered  in  such  unique  fashion  by 
the  water-carrier,  that  the  younger  of  the  count's  seconds 
roared  with  laughter  again,  and  Cherami  himself  could 
not  keep  a  sober  face.  He  turned  his  back  and  put  his 
handkerchief  to  his  mouth.  The  old  gentleman  alone 


CHER  AMPS  SECONDS  389 

retained  an  air  of  displeasure ;  but  his  young  companion 
said  to  him  earnestly : 

"  Come,  Monsieur  de  Maugrille,  let  us  not  have  trouble 
over  an  affair  which  really  seems  to  me  quite  simple. 
— Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  selects  swords;  he  wishes 
to  fight  to-morrow,  about  nine  o'clock,  in  Vincennes 
Forest;  we  will  meet  at  the  entrance  to  the  forest, 
near  Pgrte  Saint-Mande,  on  the  highroad.  Those  are 
our  conditions,  messieurs ;  are  they  satisfactory  to 
you  ?  " 

Then  or  never  was  the  time  for  the  water-carrier  to 
repeat  the  phrase  he  had  been  taught;  but,  just  as  it 
frequently  happens  on  the  stage,  that,  when  an  actor  has 
begun  his  lines  too  soon,  he  is  silent  when  he  ought  to 
speak,  so  did  the  Auvergnat  look  stolidly  at  the  others 
and  utter  never  a  word. 

Cherami,  who  was  gazing  at  him  impatiently,  at  last 
walked  up  behind  him  and  struck  him  in  the  side, 
crying : 

"  Well,  Monsieur  de  Saint-Michel,  have  you  suddenly 
lost  your  voice  ?  " 

"  Ah !  bless  my  soul !  what  was  I  thinking  about  ? — 
Very  well,  very  well !  We  agree  to  everything,"  said 
the  water-carrier. 

Thereupon  the  young  man  took  his  companion's  arm 
and  led  him  from  the  room,  laughing  still,  and  saying  in 
his  ear : 

"  I  think  that  we  may  retire,  now  that  everything  is 
settled." 

Cherami  saluted  them,  and  escorted  them  to  the  door. 

"  Be  sure,  monsieur,"  he  said,  "  that  we  shall  be  on 
hand  promptly  at  the  rendezvous ;  we  shall  not  keep  you 
waiting.  By  the  way!  it  will  be  very  kind  of  you  to  bring 


390  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

swords  for  both,  for  I  broke  mine  recently  and  have  not 
yet  replaced  it." 

"  Very  good,  monsieur ;  we  will  do  so." 

The  younger  man  bowed  with  much  affability;  his 
older  associate  bent  his  head  almost  imperceptibly,  re- 
taining his  ill-humored  expression ;  then  they  left  the 
house  and  returned  to  their  carriage. 


LIV 

TWO! 

"  Sapristi !  "  cried  Cherami,  when  the  count's  witnesses 
had  gone ;  "  I  thought  that  we  weren't  going  to  get 
out  of  that  hole ;  they  had  difficulty  in  swallowing  my 
seconds,  and  I  don't  wonder." 

"Ain't  you  satisfied  with  us? "  inquired  the  water-carrier; 
"I  should  say  that  I  said  just  what  you  told  me  to." 

"  That  is  to  say,  you  said  it  when  you  shouldn't  have, 
and  held  your  tongue  when  you  should  have  answered." 

"  I  didn't  say  a  single  word,"  observed  the  Piedmontese. 

"  It's  lucky  you  didn't !  That  would  have  been  the 
last  straw !  Well,  that's  all  for  to-day ;  you  may  go  back 
to  your  cask ;  but  be  here  to-morrow  at  half-past  seven 
sharp,  dressed  just  the  same ;  don't  forget  it !  " 

"  For  five  francs  more  apiece  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  as  that's  what  we  agreed." 

"  We  won't  fail." 

The  next  day,  the  two  water-carriers  appeared  at  seven 
o'clock,  each  in  his  costume  of  the  preceding  day :  the 
Piedmontese  in  the  late  Louchard's  green  sack-coat  and 
gray  hat,  which  he  was  obliged  to  push  up  from  his  face 


TWO !  391 

every  minute,  so  that  he  could  see  where  he  was  going. 
Cherami  dressed  in  haste;  he  paid  particular  attention 
to  his  toilet,  which  presented  a  striking  contrast  to  that 
of  his  two  seconds ;  then  he  requested  his  landlady  to 
send  for  a  cab.  Madame  Louchard  was  much  disturbed 
when  she  recognized  the  coat  and  hat  of  her  deceased 
husband  on  the  water-carrier. 

"  Why  have  you  rigged  that  fellow  up  like  that  ?  "  she 
asked  her  tenant.  "  He'll  just  ruin  my  husband's  things. 
I  wouldn't  have  lent  'em  to  you,  if  I'd  known  you  wanted 
'em  for  him.  Are  you. going  to  a  wedding  so  early  in  the 
morning  ?  " 

"  Widow  Louchard,  I  will  be  responsible  for  your  chat- 
tels— don't  bother  us !  Your  man's  cast-off  clothes  are 
more  fortunate  than  they  deserve,  to  be  present  at  such 
a  festivity. — Get  in,  messieurs." 

Cherami  pushed  the  water-carrier  and  his  man  into 
the  cab,  and  shouted  to  the  driver  to  take  them  to  Porte 
Saint-Mande ;  then,  taking  a  seat  beside  his  seconds,  he 
said  to  them : 

"  Listen  carefully  to  my  instructions  for  this  morning, 
and,  ten  thousand  cigars !  try  not  to  make  any  mistakes ; 
I  am  going  to  fight  with  a  third  gentleman,  whom  you 
didn't  see  yesterday." 

"Ah!  you  ought  to  fight  with  your  fists;  that's  our 
way ;  we're  good  hands  at  it ;  eh,  Piedmontese  ?  " 

"Yes,  just  let  me  get  a  crack  at  'em!  I'd  like  that 
better  than  to  stand  and  say  nothing,  like  a  stuffed  goose ! " 

"  Nevertheless,  you  must  make  up  your  mind  to  that, 
my  boy.  I  didn't  bring  you  with  me  to  fight,  but  to 
be  my  seconds.  I  am  to  fight  with  a  sword.  You  will 
simply  measure  the  two  swords,  to  make  sure  that  they're 
of  the  same  length." 


392 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


"  What  with  ?     I  didn't  bring  a  rule." 

"  You  measure  two  swords  by  putting  them  side  by 
side.  It's  simple  enough." 

"And  must  I  say  again :  '  Very  well ;  we  agree '  ?  " 

"  No,  there's  no  need  of  it.  You  must  say :  '  Every- 
thing is  ready,  let  them  proceed.'  If  I  am  wounded,  you 
will  bring  me  back  to  this  cab,  which  will  wait  for  us, 
and  take  me  home.  If  it's  the  other  who  is  wounded, 
— and  it  will  be, — you  will  help  his  seconds  to  take  him 
to  his  carriage.  Do  you  understand  ?  " 

"  That's  all  right." 

They  arrived  at  Porte  Saint-Mande,  where  they  alighted 
from  the  cab  and  walked  into  the  woods.  It  was  a  cold, 
dull  morning;  it  was  not  nine  o'clock,  and  they  met 
nobody. 

"  We  are  ahead  of  time,"  said  Cherami,  "  but  I  prefer 
to  be.  Above  all  things,  my  boys,  be  very  polite  to  the 
men  we  are  waiting  for:  take  your  hats  off  and  bow,  and 
don't  put  them  on  again  till  after  they  do." 

"  What  if  they  don't  put  'em  on  at  all  ?  " 

"  Never  fear — they  will.  Now,  we  have  nothing  to  do 
but  walk  back  and  forth  and  wait." 

"  Why  don't  we  go  and  take  a  glass  of  wine  at  the 
nearest  inn,  while  we  wait  ?  " 

"Dame/"  said  the  apprentice;  "I'm  with  you  for  a 
glass  of  wine ! " 

"  But  I  am  not  with  you,  not  by  any  means,  messieurs. 
After  the  fight,  you  shall  drink  as  much  as  you  please, 
but  not  before." 

"We  might  treat  the  others  to  a  glass  when  they 
come ;  that's  polite,  you  know ! " 

"  The  gentlemen  who  are  coming  don't  drink  at  wine- 
shops ! — No  fool's  tricks,  sacrebleu !  or  you'll  compromise 


TWO!  393 

me !  But,  see !  that  carriage  coming  along  the  road  yon- 
der is  probably  bringing  our  adversaries.  It's  a  private 
carriage — the  count's,  no  doubt.  Yes,  those  are  they. 
Attention,  my  seconds !  Well,  well,  what  in  the  devil  are 
you  doing  ?  Taking  off  your  hats  before  the  gentlemen 
have  left  their  carriage !  " 

"  You  told  us  to  be  polite." 

"  I  didn't  tell  you  to  bow  to  the  horses." 

The  count  and  his  seconds  alighted  and  came  toward 
Cherami.  The  grotesque  aspect  of  the  latter's  attend- 
ants seemed  greatly  to  amuse  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere, 
who  could  not  take  his  eyes  from  the  two  water-carriers. 
They,  at  a  sign  from  Cherami,  hastily  removed  their  hats 
when  the  new-comers  were  close  at  hand.  But  the  Pied- 
montese,  in  his  eagerness  to  uncover,  forgot  that  his  hat 
was  too  large  for  him,  and  struck  Monsieur  de  Maugrille 
in  the  nose  with  it,  that  gentleman  happening  to  be 
directly  in  front  of  him. 

The  old  gentleman  made  an  angry  gesture.  But  the 
tall  youth,  as  he  picked  up  his  hat,  cried : 

"  Excuse  me  !  I  didn't  do  it  a-purpose  !  it  slipped  out 
of  my  hand." 

The  count  glanced  at  his  seconds.  They  looked  at 
Cherami.  And  he,  hardly  able  to  resist  the  temptation 
to  plant  his  foot  in  the  apprentice's  posterior,  struggled  to 
restrain  himself,  as  he  said  : 

"  Monsieur  is  a  Pole ;  he  speaks  French  very  badly ! 
indeed,  he  fairly  murders  it." 

"  So  we  observe,"  rejoined  the  count,  with  a  smile. 
"  But  it's  none  too  warm  here,  and  I  am  anxious  to  have 
done  with  this  affair.  It  seems  to  me  that  we  shall  be 
very  well  placed  behind  this  low  wall." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  monsieur  le  comte." 


394 


MONSIEUR    CHER  AMI 


They  walked  a  short  distance,  and  halted  behind  a 
wall  which  would  serve  to  conceal  the  combatants  from 
any  chance  passers-by.  While  the  principals  removed 
their  coats,  the  younger  of  the  count's  seconds  handed 
to  the  water-carrier  two  swords  which  he  carried  out 
of  sight  under  his  overcoat.  The  Auvergnat  measured 
them  so  long  that  Cherami  went  to  him  and  took  one 
out  of  his  hands. 

"  They're  all  right !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  they're  exactly 
alike !  I  will  take  this  one,  unless  monsieur  le  comte 
prefers  it." 

But  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  at  once  took  the  other, 
while  his  older  second  grumbled : 

"  In  God's  name,  who  are  these  two  idiots  of  sec- 
onds who  know  absolutely  nothing  as  to  what  they  are 
doing  ?  " 

Cherami  at  once  stood  on  guard,  saying : 

"At  your  service,  monsieur  le  comte,  whenever  you 
choose." 

"  I  am  here,  monsieur." 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  had  been  a  very  good  fencer 
in  his  youth,  but  years  had  impaired  his  agility  and 
strength.  It  was  easy  to  see  that  Cherami  was  sparing 
his  adversary,  to  whom  he  observed,  as  he  parried  his 
thrusts : 

"  Well  done,  monsieur  le  comte !  very  pretty  work, 
indeed  !  You  must  have  been  a  fine  fencer  formerly." 

But  these  compliments,  instead  of  flattering  the  count, 
stung  and  irritated  him,  because  he  saw  that  his  opponent 
was  playing  with  him ;  and  he  suddenly  cried  : 

"  What  the  devil !  in  God's  name,  monsieur,  attack ! 
you  confine  yourself  to  parrying !  Do  you  think  you're 
fighting  with  a  novice  ?  " 


TWO!  395 

"  Is  that  your  wish,  monsieur  le  comte  ?  Solely  to 
comply  then " 

And  Cherami,  suddenly  striking  down  his  adversary's 
sword,  plunged  his  own  into  the  count's  right  side. 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  staggered  a  moment,  then  fell. 

"Fouchtra/  he's  got  his  reckoning !  "  cried  the  Auver- 
gnat,  while  the  count's  witnesses  ran  forward  to  help  him 
and  carry  him  off  the  field.  But,  at  a  sign  from  Cherami, 
the  tall  Piedmontese  lifted  the  wounded  man  in  his  arms 
as  if  he  were  a  child,  and  carried  him  to  the  elegant 
equipage,  in  which  a  surgeon  was  waiting,  who  had  come 
with  the  gentlemen,  but  whom  they  had  not  thought  it 
necessary  to  take  with  them  to  the  field  of  battle. 

"  There's  one  job  done !  "  said  the  young  water-carrier. 

The  count's  seconds  could  hardly  keep  up  with  him. 
In  the  end,  they  seated  themselves  by  the  wounded  man's 
side  in  the  carriage,  which  drove  away  at  a  walk. 

"  The  wound  can't  be  dangerous,"  said  Cherami  to  his 
seconds,  when  they  were  alone ;  "  it's  in  among  the  ribs. 
He  will  be  laid  up  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks,  unless  I 
touched  some  vital  part.  Ah  !  they  forgot  to  take  away 
their  sword.  I  will  carry  it  back  myself,  and  that  will 
give  me  an  opportunity  to  inquire  for  the  count." 

"  Ah !  fouchtra  !  you're  a  smart  one !  how  you  run  on  ! " 

"  Now  it's  all  over,  ain't  we  going  to  have  a  glass  of 
wine  at  the  nearest  wine-shop,  to  refresh  us  ?  " 

"  My  boys,  here's  a  hundred  sous  for  each  of  you. 
Go  and  refresh  yourselves  all  you  choose ;  I  am  going  to 
take  the  cab  and  go  home.  Do  you  prefer  to  ride  back  ?  " 

"  No,  no !     Riding  makes  us  sick ;  eh,  Piedmontese  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  prefer  to  walk." 

"  But  don't  forget,  my  boys,  to  bring  that  coat  and 
gray  hat  back  to  Madame  Louchard." 


396  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 

"  Don't  you  be  afraid ;  we're  just  going  to  have  a  little 
fun  with  our  hundred  sous." 

"  Have  all  the  fun  you  can,  my  boys.     Good-day  !  " 

"  Say,  Monsieur  Cherami,  you're  satisfied  with  us,  ain't 
you  ?  We  did  what  you  wanted  us  to." 

"  Yes,  my  friends,  I  am  very  well  satisfied. — But  God 
preserve  me  from  ever  having  you  as  seconds  again ! " 
added  Cherami,  as  he  drove  away. 


LV 

CHERAMI  CHANGES  HIS  TACTICS 

On  the  day  after  the  duel,  Cherami,  concealing  under 
his  coat  the  sword  which  had  been  loaned  to  him  the 
day  before,  betook  himself  to  the  count's  abode  and 
asked  the  concierge  how  his  master  was.  The  concierge 
replied,  with  a  profound  sigh  : 

"  Would  you  believe,  monsieur,  that,  in  spite  of  his 
years — for  although  monsieur  le  comte  dresses  like  a 
young  man,  it's  easy  to  see  that  he  isn't  one;  his  valet 
tells  me  he's  past  sixty — well,  in  spite  of  his  years,  he 
fought  a  duel  yesterday." 

"  A  man  fights  a  duel  when  the  occasion  arises ;  there's 
no  prescribed  term  for  that." 

"  No,  monsieur ;  no,  a  man  doesn't  fight — and  with 
swords,  above  all — when  his  wrist  is  no  longer  firm ; 
and  it  seems  that  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere's  opponent 
was  a  great,  tall  rascal — a  professional — one  of  those 
fellows  who  pass  their  time  fighting.  A  fine  profes- 
sion ! " 


CHER  AMI  CHANGES  HIS   TACTICS  397 

Cherami  pushed  the  sword  still  farther  under  his  coat, 
stared  at  the  concierge  as  if  he  would  swallow  him,  and 
said  in  a  sharp  tone : 

"  Your  reflections  tire  me ;  I  am  going  up  to  the  count's 
apartments." 

"  But,  monsieur,  you  can't  go  up ;  monsieur  le  comte 
is  very  badly  wounded,  so  it  seems.  He  is  forbidden  to 
read  or  talk." 

"  I  don't  mean  to  speak  to  him,  but  to  his  valet,  who 
isn't  so  much  of  an  ass  as  you,  I  trust." 

And  Cherami  rapidly  ascended  the  stairs,  opened  the 
door  of  the  reception-room  by  turning  the  knob,  and 
found  there  the  valet,  who  knew  him.  He  handed  him 
the  sword,  saying : 

"  Here,  my  friend,  is  a  sword  which  your  master  loaned 
to  the  person  with  whom  he  fought  yesterday,  and  which 
that  person  requested  me  to  return  to  him,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  inquire  as  to  his  condition.  Is  the  count's 
wound  dangerous  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur.  The  surgeon  said  that  it  wasn't  mortal, 
and  that  monsieur  would  recover." 

"  Ah  !  so  much  the  better !  I  am  very  glad  to  hear 
that." 

"  But  it  may  take  a  long  time ;  he'll  have  to  be  very 
careful.  Monsieur  has  lost  a  great  deal  of  blood ;  he 
is  very  weak,  and,  between  ourselves,  he's  no  longer 
young." 

"  Between  ourselves,  and  between  all  the  rest  of  the 
world,  too." 

"  He  is  forbidden  to  speak  or  to  receive  visits  to-day." 

"  And  I  have  no  intention  of  asking  to  be  admitted ; 
I  simply  wanted  to  know  how  he  was ;  he  will  get  well, 
that's  the  main  point.  What  does  it  matter  whether  it's  a 


398  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

long  recovery  or  not  ?  The  count  is  rich ;  he  can  coddle 
himself  in  bed  as  long  as  it's  necessary." 

"  True,  monsieur ;  but,  still,  this  wound  comes  at  a 
very  bad  time ;  for — I  can  safely  tell  you  ;  it's  no  longer 
a  secret — my  master's  on  the  point  of  being  married." 

"  Married ! " 

"  Yes,  it's  a  fact ;  and  to  a  young  lady,  a  very  pretty 
one." 

"Well,  my  boy,  to  marry,  at  your  master's  age,  is 
much  more  dangerous  than  a  sword-thrust — especially 
when  the  bride  is  young  and  pretty — aggravating  cir- 
cumstances ! " 

"  Ha !  ha !     I  fancy  monsieur  is  right." 

"  Good-morning !     I  will  call  again  to  inquire." 

"And  now,"  said  Cherami  to  himself,  "if  I  knew 
where  Gustave  is,  I  would  tell  him  that  his  rival  is  on 
his  back.  I  think  I  will  go  to  his  house  to  inquire. 
He  has  separate  apartments ;  and,  at  a  pinch,  if  the  con- 
cierge can't  tell  me  anything,  I  will  brave  once  more  the 
uncle's  winning  countenance." 

Gustave's  concierge  knew  that  he  was  not  in  Paris, 
but  he  knew  no  more  than  that.  Cherami  decided 
to  make  his  way  once  more  into  the  banker's  private 
office;  he  was  always  sure  to  find  him  at  his  desk  in 
the  morning. 

Monsieur  Grandcourt  frowned  when  he  recognized  his 
visitor.  But  Cherami  was  even  more  carefully  dressed 
than  on  the  occasion  of  his  last  visit.  With  the  thou- 
sand francs  he  had  received  from  Gustave,  and  by  virtue 
of  his  newly-adopted  system  of  economy,  Beau  Arthur 
had  reached  the  point  where  he  was  no  longer  an 
ex-beau,  and  had  almost  recovered  his  former  air  of 
distinction. 


CHER  AMI  CHANGES  HIS   TACTICS  399 

He  saluted  the  banker  with  the  ease  of  manner  which 
was  natural  to  him,  but  to  which  his  dress  imparted  addi- 
tional charm.  Monsieur  Grandcourt  replied  with  a  cool 
nod.  As  he  did  not  leave  his  armchair,  Cherami  took 
a  seat  and  began  by  making  himself  comfortable.  The 
two  men  looked  at  each  other  for  several  minutes  with- 
out speaking :  the  banker  retaining  his  scowling  expres- 
sion, Cherami  smiling  as  if  he  were  at  the  Theatre  du 
Palais-Royal,  listening  to  Arnal. 

"  How  are  you  this  morning,  my  dear  Monsieur  Grand- 
court  ?  "  began  Cherami,  lolling  back  in  his  chair. 

"  Very  well,  I  thank  you,  monsieur.  Is  it  to  inquire  for 
my  health  that  you  come  to  my  office  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh !  if  I  should  say  yes,  you  wouldn't  believe  me." 

"  True.  But  I  remember  that  my  nephew  told  me  that 
you  wished  to  find  employment.  You  appear,  however, 
monsieur,  to  be  more  fortunately  placed  than  you  were 
when  I  first  saw  you  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  fact,  monsieur,  that  my  condition  has  improved 
somewhat.  But  that  does  not  interfere  with  my  seek- 
ing a — suitable  place.  I  am  beginning  to  tire  of  doing 
nothing.  I  am  really  desirous  to  have  something  to 
occupy  my  time." 

"  That  desire  comes  a  little  late !  " 

"  You  know  the  proverb :  better  late  than  never.  And 
then,  after  all,  I  am  only  forty-eight ;  I  am  not  an  old 
man.  You  are  fully  as  old  as  that,  and  yet  you  work  !  " 

"  But  I  have  always  worked,  monsieur ;  it's  a  habit 
with  me,  a  necessity.  I  didn't  have  to  make  a  study  of 
it — a  study  which  is  often  repellent  when  one  begins  it 
late  in  life." 

"  Have  you  any  place  to  offer  me,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  No,  I  have  not." 


400  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Well,  then,  why  do  you  ask  me  all  these  questions  ? 
I  do  not  imagine  that  it  is  your  purpose  to  make  sport 
of  me." 

"  Is  it  yours  to  pick  a  quarrel  with  me  ?  " 

"  No,  no !  sapristi !  I  am  not  picking  a  quarrel  with 
you — Gustave's  uncle,  and  he  my  best  friend !  Oh !  if  you 
weren't  his  uncle,  I  don't  say  that — but  you  are  his 
uncle. — Let  us  come  to  the  point;  I  came  to  ask  you 
where  your  nephew  is  at  this  moment." 

"  My  nephew  is  travelling :  he  is  in  one  place  to-day, 
in  another  to-morrow." 

"  Oh !  I  see  that  we  are  going  to  have  the  same  old 
song  over  again !  You  will  not  give  me  his  address  ? — 
But  if  I  want  to  write  to  him,  to  tell  him  something 
which  will  give  him  great  pleasure,  which  will  make  him 
happy  ?  " 

"  Tell  me,  and  I'll  write  it  to  him." 

"  That  isn't  the  same  thing.  But,  no  matter,  I  will  tell 
you.  You  know,  I  suppose,  that  his  passion,  whom  he 
thought  he  was  surely  going  to  marry  this  time,  has 
thrown  him  over  again,  in  favor  of  a  very  rich  old 
count  ?  " 

"  I  know  all  that,  monsieur." 

"  Good  !  but  what  you  don't  know  is  that  I  don't  pro- 
pose that  my  friend  shall  be  played  with  with  impunity. 
That  is  why  I  hunted  up  this  Comte  de  la  Beriniere ;  I 
insulted  him ;  we  fought  a  duel,  and  he  is  now  in  his  bed 
with  a  famous  sword-thrust  in  his  right  side." 

Monsieur  Grandcourt  jumped  from  his  chair  and  struck 
his  desk  a  violent  blow,  crying : 

"  Is  it  possible  ?     You  have  done  that  ?  " 

"  As  I  have  the  honor  to  tell  you.  Do  you  wish  to 
embrace  me  ?  " 


CHER  A  MI  CHANGES  HIS    TACTICS  401 

"  On  the  contrary,  monsieur,  I  am  much  more  inclined 
to  throw  you  out  of  the  window  !  " 

"  Indeed !  well,  as  we  are  on  the  ground  floor,  if  that 
will  give  you  pleasure " 

"  Why,  monsieur,  this  is  a  horrible  thing  that  you've 
done!  And  you  call  yourself  Gustave's  friend!  You 
seem  to  be  trying  to  wreck  his  life.  Can't  you  see  that 
this  Fanny  is  an  infernal  coquette,  who  cares  for  nothing 
but  money  and  pleasure,  and  who  never  had  the  slightest 
feeling  of  love  for  my  nephew  ?  " 

"  As  far  as  that  goes,  I  am  entirely  of  your  opinion." 

"  Very  well !  do  you  think,  then,  that  marriage  with 
such  a  woman  would  make  Gustave  happy  ?  " 

"Dame/  since  he  adores  her " 

"Why,  monsieur,  do  I  need  to  tell  you  that  love 
doesn't  last  forever?  Besides,  what  purpose  does  that 
sentiment  serve  in  a  household  when  it's  not  recipro- 
cated? Gustave  is  kind-hearted,  sensitive,  affectionate 
— much  too  affectionate.  What  he  needs  is  a  sweet, 
modest,  loving  helpmeet." 

"  That  is  true!"  murmured  Cherami;  "and  I  know  one 
of  that  sort." 

"  And  you  would  have  him  marry  a  woman  who  has 
spurned  him  twice  ?  Why,  to  miss  being  this  Fanny's 
husband  was  the  most  fortunate  thing  that  could  happen 
to  him  !  All  his  true  friends  ought  to  congratulate  him 
on  it.  And  you,  monsieur,  you  set  about  removing  the 
obstacle  which  had  risen  between  my  nephew  and  that 
widow !  You  fight  with  the  man  she  preferred  to  Gus- 
tave !  Ah !  monsieur,  cease  to  call  yourself  his  friend ; 
for  his  bitterest  enemy  would  not  have  acted  otherwise !  " 

Cherami  paced  the  floor  of  the  office  with  long  strides, 
and  bit  his  lips,  muttering : 


402  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Sacrebleu  !  that  is  all  true.  There  is  good  sense  in 
what  you  say.  On  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  I  didn't 
reflect.  I  saw  but  one  thing  to  do — and  that  was  to 
prevent  the  little  widow's  making  a  fool  of  Gustave." 

"  Oh  !  monsieur,  she  would  do  it  much  more  effectively 
if  he  should  marry  her." 

"After  all,  I  didn't  kill  the  count — a  sword-thrust  in 
the  side  is  nothing ;  he  will  get  well ;  the  doctor  said  so." 

"  That  is  possible ;  but  who  can  say  that  this  duel  will 
not  change  his  plans,  his  ideas  ?  At  the  count's  age,  a 
wound,  an  illness,  sometimes  ages  a  man  ten  years ;  and 
then  love  takes  flight,  and  with  it  all  thought  of  marriage." 

"  Oh !  the  count  was  dead  in  love,  and  when  a  fire  gets 
started  in  an  old  house  it  burns  faster  than  a  new  one." 

"  Do  you  still  consider,  monsieur,  that  it's  very  im- 
portant to  tell  my  nephew  of  your  fine  exploit  ?  Have 
you  any  wish  to  see  him  rush  to  that  wretched  Fanny's 
side  again  ?  " 

"You  have  changed  my  ideas  entirely,  dear  uncle. 
I'm  a  hot-headed  creature;  but  I  am  not  pig-headed. 
When  I  feel  that  I've  done  a  foolish  thing,  I  admit  it." 

"  That's  something." 

"  But,  I  tell  you  again,  the  count's  wound  is  not  dan- 
gerous ;  he  will  recover." 

"  I  trust  so,  monsieur ;  and  above  all  things  that  he 
will  marry  this  Fanny." 

"  In  that  case,  you  will  no  longer  feel  inclined  to  throw 
me  out  of  the  window  ?  " 

"  In  that  case,  I  will  forgive  you  for  this  last  escapade." 

"  Adieu,  dear  uncle !  Look  you  :  you  are  hard  with 
me;  but  in  my  heart  I  don't  lay  it  up  against  you,  because 
I  see  that  you  love  your  nephew." 

"  Ah !  have  you  just  discovered  that  ?  " 


IMPATIENCE   WITHOUT  LOVE  403 

"  I  shall  take  pains  to  keep  you  informed  as  to  the 
health  of  our  venerable  lover.  As  soon  as  he  is  on  his 
legs  again,  I  will  come  to  tell  you.  And  then,  if  he 
should  try  to  back  out  of  marrying  the  little  widow,  why, 
par  la  sambleu !  he  will  have  to  draw  his  sword  again." 

"  I  beg  you,  monsieur,  don't  interfere  any  more ;  that's 
the  only  way  to  have  the  thing  end  satisfactorily." 

"  You  haven't  much  confidence  in  me,  dear  uncle ;  but 
I  will  compel  you  to  do  me  justice." — And  Cherami  took 
leave  of  the  banker,  saying  to  himself:  "  That  devil  of  a 
man  is  right.  I  made  an  ass  of  myself;  but  I'll  go  to 
work  differently  now." 


LV1 

IMPATIENCE  WITHOUT  LOVE 

While  these  things  were  taking  place,  Madame  Mon- 
leard  was  in  a  state  of  feverish  unrest. 

Since  the  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  had  definitely  offered 
her  his  hand,  which  she  had  not  refused,  he  came  every 
day  to  pay  his  respects  to  her.  The  ten  months  of  widow- 
hood, which  the  conventionalities  demand,  had  passed. 
The  count,  who  was  in  haste  to  witness  the  coronation  of 
his  flame,  was  already  arranging  the  preliminaries  of  his 
marriage.  Among  them  were  gifts, — jewels  and  cash- 
mere shawls, — and,  on  the  day  preceding  that  on  which 
he  had  received  Cherami's  visit,  he  had  passed  the  whole 
day  taking  Fanny  about  to  see  the  latest  styles  in  gowns 
and  shawls,  so  that  he  might  understand  her  tastes  and 
govern  his  purchases  accordingly.  And  the  pretty  widow 


404  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

had  shown  no  embarrassment  about  riding  in  the  carriage 
which  was  soon  to  belong  to  her. 

During  the  day  following  Cherami's  challenge,  the 
count,  having  to  seek  seconds  for  his  duel,  had  had  no 
time  to  call  on  Fanny.  He  did  not  see  her  until  evening, 
and,  like  the  well-bred  man  he  was,  had  taken  care  not 
to  mention  the  affair  which  he  had  on  his  hands  because 
of  her.  The  next  day,  his  seconds  had  called  on  his 
adversary,  and  had  then  reported  to  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere  that  the  time  and  place  and  all  the  details  of 
the  duel  had  been  agreed  upon.  That  had  given  the 
count  further  food  for  thought.  He  was  no  coward,  and 
yet  the  duel  was  exceedingly  disagreeable  to  him ;  his 
interviews  with  the  pretty  widow  had  shown  the  effects 
of  it ;  he  had  been  less  amorous,  less  affable,  and  less 
cheerful  in  her  presence. 

When  the  following  day  came  and  went  without  a  call 
from  the  count,  Fanny  was  first  surprised,  then  vexed, 
then  alarmed.  Twenty  times  she  went  to  her  mirror, 
which  told  her  that  she  was  as  pretty  as  ever,  and  that 
her  elderly  adorer  ought  to  be  only  too  happy  that  she 
condescended  to  pretend  to  love  him.  Meanwhile,  the 
day  passed,  and  the  evening,  and  the  count  did  not 
appear. 

"  He  means  to  make  me  some  beautiful  present,"  said 
Fanny  to  herself;  "and  he  wants  to  bring  it  himself; 
but  all  these  shopkeepers  are  so  little  to  be  depended 
on !  He  probably  waited  in  vain,  and  didn't  want  to 
come  without  his  present.  I  shall  have  it  to-morrow." 

On  the  morrow,  the  clock  struck  twelve,  one,  two,  and 
no  sign  of  the  count. 

"  This  isn't  natural,"  thought  Fanny.  "  Something 
must  certainly  have  happened.  I  remember,  now,  that 


IMPATIENCE    WITHOUT  LOVE  405 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  was  distraught,  preoccupied,  the 
last  two  evenings  that  he  was  here.  I  charged  him  with 
it,  and  he  said  I  was  mistaken.  But  I  was  not  mistaken ! — 
Justine,  go  down  and  ask  the  concierge  if  there  isn't  a 
letter  for  me ;  if  a  message  hasn't  come  from  the  count. 
Those  people  often  forget  to  tell  you  when  anyone  calls." 

Justine  soon  returned,  and  informed  her  mistress  that 
there  were  no  letters  and  that  no  one  had  called.  Fanny 
placed  herself  at  the  window,  and  still  there  was  no  arrival. 

At  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  unable  to  remain 
inactive  any  longer,  she  said  to  her  maid : 

"  Take  a  cab  by  the  hour ;  here  is  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere's  address ;  go  there,  and  find  out  from  the  con- 
cierge if  anything  has  happened  to  him ;  if  he  is  ill,  ask 
to  see  him,  and  tell  him  how  deeply  interested  I  am  in 
his  health.  Go  quickly,  so  that  I  may  know  what  to 
think." 

Justine  went  off  in  her  cab.  The  pretty  widow  counted 
the  minutes  and  kept  looking  at  the  clock.  At  last  her 
servant  returned.  Her  breathless,  dismayed  air  made 
it  evident  enough  that  she  had  something  to  tell;  and 
as  she  entered  the  room,  she  cried  out,  wringing  her 
hands : 

"  Ah !  madame,  indeed  there  is  something  new.  Oh ! 
the  poor  count !  what  a  calamity  !  " 

"  Heavens  !  Justine,  is  he  dead  ?  " 

"  No,  madame ;  he  isn't  dead  yet,  but  very  near  it ! " 

"  What  accident  has  happened  to  him,  then  ?  " 

"  No  accident,  madame ;  but  a  fight  with  swords — a 
duel,  in  fact !  " 

"  The  count  has  been  fighting  a  duel  ?  " 

"  Yes,  madame ;  and  yesterday  morning  they  brought 
him  home  wounded.  A  bad  sword-wound  in  the  side, 


406  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

which  might  have  been  mortal !  But  it  seems  he's  going 
to  get  well;  the  doctor  hopes  he  will,  but  doctors  are 
mistaken  so  often ! " 

"  Oh !  mon  Dieu !  Why,  this  is  horrible !  With  whom 
did  he  fight  ?  " 

"  His  valet  doesn't  know,  madame.  The  count  didn't 
take  him  with  him." 

"  Well,  I  will  find  out,  I  will  find  out.  A  duel !  Who 
besides  Gustave  could  have  had  the  idea  of  fighting  with 
Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  ?  That  fellow  was  born  to  be 
the  bane  of  my  life. — So  you  didn't  see  the  count  ?  " 

"  No,  madame ;  the  doctor  said  that  nobody  must  see 
him  to-day ;  but  to-morrow,  perhaps,  that  order  will  be 
changed." 

"  The  poor  count !  if  only  he  doesn't  die !  Just  think, 
Justine,  what  an  awful  nuisance  for  me !  " 

"  So  it  is.  But  if  madame  were  a  countess,  it  wouldn't 
be  but  half  bad." 

"  You  say  the  doctor  promises  that  he  will  recover  ?  " 

"  So  the  valet  told  me." 

"  Well,  I  will  go  myself  to-morrow ;  but  I  must  see 
my  sister  first." 

"  I  thought  that  madame  did  not  go  to  her  father's 
now?" 

"  Oh !  because  in  an  outburst  of  anger  he  told  me  not 
to  come  again.  As  if  he  remembered  that !  Besides,  it 
isn't  my  father  that  I  want  to  see,  but  Adolphine." 

The  next  morning,  at  eleven  o'clock,  Madame  Mon- 
leard  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of  her  sister,  who 
uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  when  she  saw  her. 

"  What !  is  it  you,  Fanny  ?  " 

"To  be  sure;  Madeleine  told  me  that  father  had  just 
gone  out ;  I  am  glad  of  that." 


IMPATIENCE   WITHOUT  LOVE  407 

"  Oh !  never  fear ;  his  anger  has  passed  away.  It  never 
lasts  long  with  him,  you  know." 

"  But  I  am  the  one  who  is  angry  now." 

"  You !  with  whom  ?  " 

"  With  everybody.  You  pretend  to  be  surprised ;  but 
you  must  know  what  has  happened  ?  " 

"  No.     What  can  have  happened  to  irritate  you  so  ?  " 

"  I  have  good  reason  for  it.  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere 
fought  a  duel  the  day  before  yesterday,  and  was  badly 
wounded ;  a  little  more  and  they'd  have  killed  him  for  me ! " 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  with  whom  did  he  fight,  in  heaven's 
name  ?  " 

"  Do  you  ask  me  that  ?  You  know  well  enough ; 
indeed,  it's  easy  enough  to  guess." 

"  I  certainly  cannot  guess." 

"  Who  but  Gustave,  in  his  rage,  because  I  preferred 
the  count  to  him?" 

"  Gustave  ?  why,  that  is  impossible.  He  left  Paris  a 
week  ago ;  he  came  to  say  good-bye  to  us,  and  Monsieur 
de  Raincy,  who  has  just  come  from  England,  met  him 
there." 

"  Is  it  possible  that  it  wasn't  Gustave?  Then  who  could 
it  have  been — unless  it  was  that  tall  swashbuckler  who 
fought  with  Auguste  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  must  have  been  he." 

"That's  it!  that  fellow  seems  to  have  the  very  devil 
in  him !  As  soon  as  I  am  married,  or  when  someone 
thinks  of  marrying  me,  he  appears  with  his  long  sword. 
Why,  it's  a  perfect  outrage !  Ah !  that  Monsieur  Cher- 
ami  !  And  I  have  been  so  polite  to  him,  too — asked  him 
to  come  to  see  me !  " 

"  What !  you  asked  him  to  come  to  see  you  ?  A  man 
who  had  fought  with  your  husband  ?  " 


4o8  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Well !  what  has  that  to  do  with  it  ?  You  know 
perfectly  well  that  they  made  it  up.  But  I  must  go 
to  inquire  for  the  poor  count.  Perhaps  I  can  see  him 
to-day,  and  find  out  how  this  duel  came  about.  Ah ! 
mon  Dieu !  if  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  should  die,  I 
should  be  a  widow  a  second  time,  and  without  being  a 
countess ! " 

Fanny  left  Adolphine  much  disturbed  and  agitated  by 
what  she  had  heard.  The  young  widow  drove  to  Mon- 
sieur de  la  Beriniere's  house,  and  found  that  the  doctor 
had  revoked  his  orders  of  the  day  before;  she  could 
see  the  count,  on  condition  that  she  would  not  let  him 
talk  much. 

The  young  woman  entered  the  sick-room  with  every 
manifestation  of  the  keenest  interest ;  she  uttered  heart- 
felt exclamations,  sighed  profoundly,  and  winked  her 
eyes  so  often  that  she  succeeded  in  making  them  very 
red.  The  count  smiled  at  his  pretty  visitor  and  held  out 
his  hand,  which  she  seized  and  pressed  to  her  bosom. 

"  If  you  had  been  killed,"  she  cried,  "  I  should  not 
have  survived  you !  But  who  was  the  savage  ?  How 
did  this  duel  come  about  ?  " 

"  I  am  forbidden  to  talk,"  murmured  the  count,  in  a 
weak  voice. 

"  Oh !  of  course,  excuse  me.  My  curiosity  is  very 
natural,  however.  Just  a  word :  was  it  my  old  play- 
fellow with  whom  you  fought  ?  " 

"  No ;  it  was  a  friend  of  his — named  Cherami." 

"  Monsieur  Cherami  ?  Oh !  the  miserable  wretch  !  It 
was  he  before — with  Auguste.  But  what,  in  God's  name, 
have  I  ever  done  to  that  man  ?  or,  rather,  what  have  they 
whom  I  love  done  to  him  ?  However,  my  dear  count, 
you  will  recover,  there's  no  doubt  of  that ;  and  then,  by 


IMPATIENCE   WITHOUT  LOVE  409 

dint  of  love  and  loving  attentions,  I  hope  to  make  you 
forget  an  incident  of  which  I  was  the  first  cause." 

"  You  think  it  isn't  serious  ?  " 

"  No,  certainly  not ;  it  will  amount  to  nothing.  God  ! 
if  the  wound  had  been  dangerous — if  I  had  had  reason 
to  fear  for  your  life — I  don't  know  what  would  have  be- 
come of  me !  Ah !  when  anything  happens  to  those 
who  are  dear  to  us,  that  is  the  time  we  feel — how  dear 
they  are  to  us ! " 

"  You  are  too  kind." 

"  Are  you  in  pain  ?  " 

"  Only  a  little ;  but  I  am  exceedingly  weak." 

"  I  will  go,  for  I  am  capable  of  talking  to  you  too 
much,  in  spite  of  myself,  and  that  would  tire  you.  Au 
revoir,  my  dear  count !  I  will  come  every  day,  or  send 
to  inquire  for  you." 

"  Thanks  a  thousand  times  !  " 

"  May  the  thought  of  me  be  some  company  to  you,  as 
the  thought  of  you  will  be  a  sweet  consolation  to  me ! — 
Mon  Dieu !  how  hideous  he  is  in  bed ! "  said  the  little 
woman  to  herself  as  she  left  the  room. 


4io  MONSIEUR   CHERAMI 


LVII 

CHERAMI  ATTEMPTS  TO  REPAIR  HIS  MISTAKES 

Three  weeks  passed.  The  count  was  beginning  to  sit 
up  and  to  walk  about  his  room ;  but  he  was  still  very 
weak,  and  the  blood  that  he  had  lost  seemed  to  have 
carried  away  all  that  he  had  still  retained  of  youthfulness, 
activity,  and  amiability.  Fanny  had  been  to  see  him 
almost  every  day,  although  she  was  sadly  bored  all  the 
time  that  she  was  with  the  wounded  man ;  she  was  very 
careful,  however,  to  conceal  her  ennui  and  to  dissemble 
her  yawns ;  on  the  contrary,  she  feigned  to  be  more 
affectionate  than  ever;  but  his  convalescence  seemed 
to  her  interminable,  especially  because  she  did  not  fail  to 
notice  the  change  that  had  taken  place  in  the  humor  of 
her  future  spouse,  who  seemed  to  have  aged  ten  years 
in  a  fortnight. 

Soon  the  count  was  able  to  drive  out;  whereupon 
Fanny  murmured,  lowering  her  eyes : 

"  I  think  that  we  might  now  fix  the  day  which  is  to 
unite  us  forever." 

But  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  shook  his  head. 

"  I  am  not  strong  enough  yet,"  he  replied. 

And  the  young  widow  said  to  herself: 

"  I  am  very  much  afraid  that  he  never  will  be  strong 
enough  again ! " 

Things  were  at  this  point,  when  Madame  Monleard's 
maid  informed  her  mistress  one  morning  that  Monsieur 
Cherami  requested  the  honor  of  an  interview  with  her. 


CHER  AMI  REPAIRS  HIS  MISTAKES  411 

"  Monsieur  Cherami !"  cried  Fanny.  "What!  that  man 
dares  show  himself  at  my  house !  my  evil  genius !  But, 
no  matter !  I  am  curious  to  know  what  he  can  have  to 
say  to  me. — Show  the  gentleman  in." 

Cherami,  who  had  not  omitted  to  make  an  elaborate 
toilet,  came  forward  with  a  smiling  face,  saying : 

"  Madame  Monleard  did  not  expect  a  call  from  me  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur,  most  assuredly  not.  After  what  has 
taken  place  between  you  and  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  I 
did  not  expect  to  see  you  here ;  but,  since  you  are  here, 
I  trust  that  you  will  be  good  enough  to  tell  me  why  you 
challenged  a  man  you  did  not  know,  and  who  had  not 
injured  you  ?  " 

"  Mon  Dieu !  madame,  surely  you  can  guess.  I  wished 
to  avenge  poor  Gustave,  whom  you  have  played  with 
like  a  macaroon." 

"  Great  heaven !  monsieur,  what  is  the  meaning  of  this 
frenzy  of  yours  for  taking  up  the  cudgels  for  Gustave  ? 
He  doesn't  think  of  fighting  duels  himself,  you  see !  he 
takes  things  as  they  come ;  he's  a  good  boy,  and  doesn't 
lose  his  head ;  he  goes  away,  and  that's  the  end  of  it. 
But  you !  And  your  conduct  is  all  the  more  blamable 
because,  when  I  met  you  not  long  ago,  you  made  me  all 
sorts  of  offers  of  your  services.  You  assured  me  that 
you  would  be  overjoyed  if  you  could  be  agreeable  to 
me  in  any  way ;  and,  in  order  to  be  agreeable  to  me,  you 
go  to  work  and  challenge  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  for 
no  reason  at  all ;  you  compel  him  to  fight ;  and  you  run 
your  sword  into  him  just  when  he  was  going  to  marry 
me  !  If  that's  the  kind  of  service  you  meant  to  offer  me, 
I  excuse  you  from  obliging  me  hereafter." 

"  I  begin  by  confessing,  madame,  that  I  realize  my 
mistake.  I  followed  the  first  impulse ;  but  I  was  wrong. 


4I2  MONSIEUR   CHERAMJ 

I  have  realized  since  that  I  made  an  awful  blunder ;  and  I 
have  come  humbly  to  beg  your  pardon." 

"  You  confess  your  wrong-doing ;  that  is  well  enough ! 
but  what  is  done  is  done,  none  the  less." 

"The  count  has  recovered;  he  goes  out  to  drive;  I 
am  sure  of  that." 

"  Yes,  the  count  is  beginning  to  go  out ;  but  he  is  not 
the  same  man ;  his  humor  has  completely  changed ;  he 
has  lost  his  light,  playful  tone.  He  was  a  young  man, 
now  he's  old.  When  I  mention  our  marriage,  he  replies : 
'  My  strength  doesn't  seem  to  come  back.' — In  short,  he 
no  longer  acts  as  if  he  were  in  love  with  me ;  and  you, 
monsieur,  you  are  the  cause  of  it." 

"  Very  well,  madame ;  as  I  have  done  the  mischief,  I 
propose  to  remedy  it.  The  count  shall  become  amorous 
again,  and  of  a  cheerful  humor,  and  eager  to  marry  you  ; 
for  I  want  him  to  marry  you  now,  and,  par  la  sambleu  ! 
I  will  succeed !  I  have  my  cue  !  " 

"  You  have  a  cue  ?  " 

"That's  just  a  little  phrase  I'm  in  the  habit  of  using; 
I  mean  that  I  have  my  scheme." 

"Are  you  telling  me  the  truth,  monsieur?  Do  you 
really  desire  now  to  see  me  marry  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere  ?  " 

"  Madame,  women  have  often  deceived  me ;  but  I  have 
always  been  honest  with  them — in  order  not  to  resemble 
them.  I  have  no  reason  for  lying  to  you." 

"  And  how  do  you  propose  to  set  about  making  the 
count  what  he  was  ?  " 

"  Rely  on  me !  But  it  is  necessary  that  Monsieur  de 
la  Beriniere  should  consent  to  receive  me.  If  I  call  on 
him,  it's  not  certain  that  he  will  see  me.  You  must 
have  the  kindness  to  say  a  few  words  to  him  in  my 


THE   COUSIN'S  SPECIFIC  413 

favor — that  I  realize  my  mistake  and  would  be  glad  to 
apologize  to  him;  that  I  have  asked  you  to  intercede 
for  me." 

"  If  that  is  all  that  is  necessary,  all  right.  I  shall  go 
to  see  the  count  soon ;  come  to-morrow  morning,  and  I 
will  tell  you  what  he  says.  Suppose  it  is  favorable  ?  " 

"  A  week  hence,  it  will  all  be  over,  and  you  will  be  a 
countess." 

"  Really  ?  but  what  method  do  you  propose  to  em- 
ploy ?  " 

"  Don't  you  be  disturbed ;  I  have  my  cue,  I  tell  you." 


LVIII 

THE  COUSIN'S  SPECIFIC 

About  midday,  the  pretty  widow  paid  her  customary 
visit  to  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere,  whom  she  found  in- 
stalled in  his  easy-chair  a  la  Voltaire,  drinking  herb  tea. 

"  How  are  you  to-day,  my  dear  count  ?  "  she  inquired, 
taking  a  seat  by  the  convalescent's  side. 

"  I  am  getting  on  very  slowly,  thank  you,  fair  lady ; 
the  wound  has  entirely  healed,  but  my  strength  doesn't 
return  very  fast." 

"  What  are  you  drinking  there  ?  " 

"  An  infusion  of  linden  leaves." 

"Do  you  think  that  that  stuff  will  ever  bring  back 
your  strength?" 

"  My  doctor  says  that  it's  an  excellent  thing.  It's  very 
soothing." 


414 


MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


"  It  seems  to  me  that  you  are  quite  calm  enough. 
Look  you,  count,  I  haven't  much  confidence  in  your 
doctor." 

"  But,  you  see,  he  has  cured  my  wound." 

"  Your  wound  would  have  healed  of  itself;  that  wasn't 
a  disease ;  but  now,  instead  of  giving  you  something  to 
build  you  up,  he  puts  you  on  herb  tea  and  slops;  he 
treats  you  like  a  child ! " 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  dear  lady.  It's  a  fact  that  he 
is  keeping  me  to  this  diet  a  good  while,  on  the  pretext 
that  I  must  be  prudent." 

"  If  you  listen  to  him,  you'll  be  under  the  same  treat- 
ment six  months  hence.  But  enough  of  that  subject ;  I 
am  intrusted  with  a  singular  errand  to  you." 

"  What  is  it,  dear  lady  ?  " 

"  The  man  with  whom  you  fought  this  duel " 

"  Monsieur  Cherami  ?  " 

"  Exactly.  Monsieur  Cherami  called  on  me  this 
morning " 

"The  deuce!  did  he  undertake  to  challenge  you  also?" 

"  Oh,  no !  far  from  it !  He  came  to  ask  my  pardon  for 
his  conduct.  He  realizes  his  mistake;  he  is  in  despair 
at  what  he  did;  and  he  wishes,  as  a  great  favor,  to  be 
allowed  to  come  to  offer  you  his  apologies  and  tell  you 
how  delighted  he  is  at  your  recovery." 

"  Pardieu  !  he's  an  extraordinary  mortal !  He  insists 
upon  fighting  for  his  friend " 

"  Yes ;  it  was  in  a  moment  of  exasperation." 

"  And  now  he's  sorry  for  it !  But  I  bear  the  fellow  no 
ill-will  at  all.  He  fences  very  well ;  ah !  he's  an  excellent 
blade ! " 

"  And  you  will  allow  him  to  come  to  offer  his 
apologies  ?  " 


THE    COUSIN'S  SPECIFIC  415 

"  Willingly ;  but  listen  :  only  on  condition  that  he  will 
tell  me  who  the  two  seconds  were  that  he  brought  with 
him.  You  can't  form  an  idea,  madame,  of  those  two 
men,  who  certainly  had  never  assisted  at  such  a  per- 
formance before  !  It  was  enough  to  make  you  burst 
with  laughing.  De  Gervier  was  much  amused;  but 
De  Maugrille  was  on  the  point  of  losing  his  temper;  he 
wanted  to  fight  them.  It  was  altogether  funny,  I  assure 
you." 

"  Then  you  are  willing  that  Monsieur  Cherami  should 
come  to  see  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  on  the  condition  I  have  suggested." 

"  He  will  readily  agree  to  that,  I  fancy ;  he  is  to  come 
to  me  to-morrow  morning  to  learn  your  reply,  and  I  will 
send  him  to  you." 

"  Very  good  !  I  must  say  that  this  Monsieur  Cherami 
seemed  to  me  no  less  clever  than  original." 

Cherami  did  not  fail  to  return  to  Madame  Monleard's 
on  the  following  day ;  she  told  him  that  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere  consented  to  receive  him,  on  condition  that  he 
would  tell  him  who  his  seconds  were. 

"  And  now,"  said  the  widow,  "  how  do  you  propose  to 
restore  the  count's  health  and  good-humor  ?  " 

"  Never  fear,  madame,"  replied  Beau  Arthur ;  "  that  is 
my  business ;  the  count  needs  to  be  set  up  mentally,  as 
well  as  physically.  He's  like  an  old  clock  that  won't 
go ;  but  as  long  as  the  mainspring  isn't  broken,  there's  a 
way  out  of  the  difficulty ;  I'll  set  him  going." 

On  leaving  Fanny,  Cherami  took  a  cab  and  drove  to 
the  Palais- Royal,  where  he  went  into  Corselet's  and  pur- 
chased a  half-bottle  of  the  finest  chartreuse ;  then  he 
removed  the  label,  the  seal,  and  everything  which  could 
lead  to  the  identification  of  the  liqueur,  put  the  bottle  in 


416  MONSIEUR    CHER  A  MI 

his  pocket,  and  repaired  to  Rue  de  la  Ville-l'Eveque, 
saying  to  himself: 

"  It  comes  high ;  but  one  cannot  make  too  many  sacri- 
fices when  it's  a  question  of  ensuring  a  friend's  happiness. 
I  have  only  a  hundred  and  fifty  francs  left  of  Gustave's 
thousand  ;  but  I  will  spend  them  with  the  best  will  in  the 
world,  if  I  can  by  that  means  induce  our  elderly  lover  to 
marry  the  little  widow." 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  was  informed  that  Monsieur 
Cherami  craved  the  favor  of  an  interview. 

"  Show  him  in,"  said  the  count. 

Cherami,  fashionably  dressed  and  perfumed  as  in  his 
halcyon  days,  presented  himself  before  the  count,  who 
stepped  forward  to  meet  him. 

"  I  beg  you,  monsieur  le  comte,  do  not  rise !  I  under- 
stand that  you  are  still  weak;  and  I  am  too  fortu- 
nate in  being  allowed  to  pay  my  respects  to  you  and 
to  offer  my  apologies  for  my  insane  behavior  toward 
you." 

"  Let  us  say  no  more  about  it,  Monsieur  Cherami ;  you 
wanted  a  duel  with  me,  and  you  had  it — it's  all  over 
with  now.  Pray  be  seated,  and  just  tell  me,  between 
ourselves,  who  those  two  individuals  were  who  acted  as 
your  seconds  ?  You  will  agree  that  their  aspect — their 
whole  manner — was  very  comical ;  and  I  would  stake 
my  head  that  it  was  the  first  time  they  were  ever  present 
at  a  duel." 

"  Faith !  that's  the  truth,  monsieur  le  comte ;  but  what 
would  you  have?  Everybody  that  I  relied  upon  failed 
me,  and  I  had  no  choice ;  I  persuaded,  albeit  with  much 
difficulty,  those  two  men  of  business  to  attend  me  on  the 
field  of  honor." 

"  Who  were  the  fellows  ?  " 


THE   COUSIN'S  SPECIFIC  417 

"The  elder,  monsieur  le  comte,  deals  in  water  from 
Mont-Dore  on  a  large  scale ;  the  younger  is  his  clerk." 

"  Are  they  Auvergnats  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur  le  comte." 

"  I  would  have  bet  anything  on  it.  However,  the 
younger  one  is  as  strong  as  an  ox,  apparently,  for  they 
tell  me  that  he  carried  me  in  his  arms  to  my  carriage." 

"  That  is  true ;  he  is  very  strong. — Is  monsieur  le 
comte's  wound  entirely  cured  ?  " 

"Yes,  it  has  cicatrized.  But  our  meeting  was  six 
weeks  ago,  and  my  strength  doesn't  come  back." 

"  Monsieur  le  comte,  will  you  allow  me  to  make  you 
an  offer?" 

"  What  sort  of  an  offer  is  it  ?  " 

"  I  have  fought  duels  quite  often  in  the  course  of 
my  life." 

"  Oh  !  I  believe  it." 

"  I  have  been  wounded  several  times." 

"  You  fence  very  well,  however ;  but  one  sometimes 
thrusts  awkwardly." 

"Well,  monsieur  le  comte,  a  dear  old  cousin  of  mine, 
who  was  very  fond  of  me  in  spite  of  my  escapades, 
made  me  a  present  of  a  liquid,  by  the  aid  of  which  I 
was  always  on  my  feet  in  a  very  short  time,  even  after 
the  most  severe  wound." 

"  The  deuce  you  say !  " 

"  I  have  used  it  whenever  I  have  been  wounded,  and 
it  has  never  failed  me  yet." 

"  What  is  it  made  of?  " 

"  I  have  no  idea ;  that  was  my  old  cousin's  secret,  and 
she  died  without  confiding  it  to  me.  But  it  must  be  very 
healthful,  as  it  always  cured  me." 

"  Have  you  still  got  any  of  this  liquid  ?  " 


418  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  I  have  kept  a  few  half-bottles  of  it,  as  a  priceless 
treasure ;  and  here  is  one  of  them,  which  I  have  taken 
the  liberty  of  bringing,  in  the  hope  that  monsieur  le 
comte  will  have  confidence  in  me." 

"  Faith,  why  not  ?  " 

"  I  shall  have  the  honor  to  taste  it  first  with  monsieur 
le  comte,  to  make  sure  that  it  isn't  spoiled." 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  ordered  liqueur-glasses  to  be 
brought.  Cherami  filled  them  with  the  superfine  char- 
treuse, and  swallowed  a  glass  himself. 

"  That's  good,  very  good  !  "  said  the  count,  after  drink- 
ing his  glass.  "  But  it  seems  to  me  that  it  has  just  the 
same  taste  as  chartreuse." 

"  It  is  true,  monsieur  le  comte,  that  there  is  a  little 
similarity  while  you  are  drinking  it ;  but  afterward  the 
bouquet,  the  taste,  is  not  the  same  at  all." 

"  Possibly  not.  I  never  drank  much  chartreuse;  I  take 
liqueur  very  rarely." 

"  Then  this  will  have  all  the  more  effect.  It  is  a  de- 
coction of  simples,  of  strengthening  herbs,  I  fancy.  My 
old  cousin  used  often  to  go  botanizing." 

"  It  smells  of  liverwort  too." 

"  It  does,  and  that  is  very  strengthening." 

"  It  feels  very  warm  in  the  chest.  I  seem  already  to 
feel  stronger,  more  lively." 

"  It  works  very  quickly." 

"  How  much  must  I  drink  to  be  entirely  cured  ?  " 

"  Why,  you  must  take  this  half-bottle." 

"  In  how  long  a  time  ?  " 

"  In  three  days." 

"  Drink  all  that  in  three  days !  " 

"  Oh !  this  bottle  doesn't  hold  much.  Drink  four  small 
glasses  to-day;  to-morrow,  five;  the  day  after  to-morrow, 


THE   COUSIN'S  SPECIFIC  419 

six  or  seven;  and  that  will  take  it  all.  But  don't  men- 
tion my  old  cousin's  remedy  to  your  doctor.  He  would 
be  sure  to  sneer  at  it ;  doctors  are  never  willing  that  you 
should  be  cured  with  things  that  they  don't  prescribe." 

"  I  know  that.  But,  upon  my  word,  I  do  feel  much 
better." 

"  Take  a  second  glass  at  once,  and  the  others  after 
dinner." 

"  Well,  I  will  submit  to  your  prescription.  Yes,  it  has 
a  very  different  taste  from  chartreuse ;  it's  sweeter." 

"  The  more  you  drink  of  it,  the  better  you  will  like  it." 

"  It  is  delicious ;  your  old  cousin  left  you  something 
of  great  value." 

"She  passed  all  her  time  compounding  remedies.  This 
will  give  you  an  appetite  too.  You  can  eat  a  lot,  and 
everything ;  it  would  digest  a  stone." 

"  Enchanting !  On  my  word  of  honor !  I  feel  my  legs 
twitching.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  could  dance." 

"  The  day  after  to-morrow,  you  will  be  in  a  condition 
to  dance.  Permit  me  to  return  a  few  days  hence,  monsieur 
le  comte,  to  inquire  for  your  health  ?  " 

"  Whenever  you  choose,  Monsieur  Cherami ;  you  are 
an  excellent  doctor,  and  I  feel  better  already  for  your 
medicine." 

"  Au  revoir,  then,  monsieur  le  comte  !  follow  my  pre- 
scription carefully." 

"  Oh  !  I  shall  take  good  care  not  to  forget  it." 

Cherami  took  his  leave,  saying  to  himself: 

"  It  can't  possibly  hurt  him ;  it  will  warm  him  up  a 
little,  that's  all;  and  he  needs  it,  he  was  turning  to  pulp." 


420  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 


LIX 

WHAT  WAS  SURE  TO  HAPPEN 

The  young  widow  was  preparing  to  call  on  the  count 
on  the  day  following  that  on  which  she  had  sent  Cherami 
to  him,  being  very  curious  to  know  if  he  had  already 
improved  her  fiance's  health,  when  her  maid  announced 
Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere. 

Fanny  could  not  restrain  a  cry  of  surprise  when  the 
count  entered  her  apartment  as  briskly  as  before  his 
duel.  It  was  the  second  day  of  the  chartreuse  treat- 
ment, and  the  count  had  taken  three  glasses  before 
leaving  home;  that  liqueur,  which  is  really  very  strength- 
ening when  used  with  moderation,  had  restored  his  vigor; 
it  had  revived  his  mental  powers;  and  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere,  overjoyed  at  a  change  which  he  took  as  evi- 
dence of  a  return  to  his  normal  condition,  had  determined 
to  go  in  person  to  inform  the  young  widow  of  it. 

Fanny  expressed  all  the  joy  she  felt  at  finding  him 
restored  to  health. 

"Yes,  I  am  feeling  very  well,"  said  Monsieur  de  la 
Beriniere.  "  My  strength  is  coming  back  with  a  rapidity 
that  surprises  me.  Would  you  believe,  dear  lady,  that 
our  good  friend  Monsieur  Cherami  is  the  one  to  whom  I 
owe  it  all  ?  " 

"  Can  it  be  ?     Is  he  a  doctor  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  he  has  a  potion  left  him  by  an  old  cousin, 
which  restores  convalescents  to  full  health  in  a  twinkling. 
I  have  been  taking  it  only  two  days,  and  I  am  a  different 
man.  To-morrow,  Tuesday,  I  shall  finish  the  bottle; 


WHAT  WAS  SURE    TO  HAPPEN  421 

and  at  the  end  of  the  week,  I  will  lead  you  to  the  altar. 
I  will  make  all  my  arrangements  accordingly." 

"  Oh!  how  happy  I  am  to  have  you  entirely  well  again! 
You  have  recovered  your  former  amiability,  your  merry 
humor." 

"  Yes,  I  have  recovered  a  lot  of  things ;  and  when  I 
have  taken  the  rest  of  my  elixir,  you'll  have  a  husband 
of  twenty-five ! " 

"  Indeed,  you  seem  hardly  more  than  that  to-day." 

"  Really,  you  are  too  kind  !  I  preferred  to  come  my- 
self to  tell  you  of  this  blessed  change.  Now  I  must  leave 
you,  to  go  to  my  banker's.  I  must  make  him  give  me  a 
lot  of  money,  for  I  propose  to  cover  you  with  jewelry  and 
fine  clothes." 

"  Oh !  monsieur  le  comte,  don't  be  foolish,  I  beg ! " 

"  It's  not  foolish,  simply  to  try  to  please  you.  Ah ! 
to-morrow,  what  quantities  of  things  I  will  buy,  and  per- 
haps I  shall  not  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you ;  but 
expect  me  the  day  after  to-morrow,  about  noon,  with  all 
my  little  gewgaws." 

"  You  are  always  welcome,  monsieur  le  comte." 

Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere  took  his  leave  after  kissing 
the  young  widow's  hand;  while  she  abandoned  herself 
without  reserve  to  the  most  intense  delight. 

"At  last,"  she  cried, " I  am  going  to  be  a  countess !  Oh ! 
that  Monsieur  Cherami  is  a  delightful  man !  And  when 
I  am  a  countess  and  have  my  carriage  and  forty  thousand 
francs  a  year,  which  I  won't  lose  by  speculating  in  stocks, 
then  father  won't  think  that  I  did  wrong  to  refuse  a  sec- 
ond time  to  marry  Gustave ;  for,  in  this  world,  it  seems  to 
me  that  it  is  one's  duty  to  think  of  one's  self  first." 

When  the  count  woke  on  the  third  day  of  the  new 
treatment,  he  was  amazed  to  find  that  he  felt  almost  as 


422  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

weak  as  before  he  began  to  drink  the  precious  liquid ;  he 
did  not  realize  that  the  strength  which  it  gave  him  was 
purely  artificial  and  vanished  with  the  spirits  which  it 
contained.  He  summoned  his  valet,  bade  him  give  him 
the  precious  bottle,  drank  two  glasses  in  quick  succes- 
sion, and  soon  felt  revivified. 

"  I  will  drink  it  all  to-day ! "  said  the  count  to  himself, 
while  his  valet  was  dressing  him. — "  How  many  more 
glasses  are  there  in  the  bottle,  Frangois  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  there  were  at  least  six,  monsieur  le 
comte,  besides  the  two  you  have  drunk." 

"That  will  make  eight;  but  I  shall  be  as  lively  as  a 
cricket." 

"  Doesn't  monsieur  think  that  it  may  excite  him  too 
much  ?  " 

"  No,  no  !  Mere  herbs !  they're  very  strengthening ! 
Give  me  a  glass." 

"  Here  it  is,  monsieur  le  comte." 

"Ah !  it's  good  !  I  am  beginning  to  like  it  much.  It's 
an  extraordinary  thing,  the  good  it  does  me.  I  feel  like 
pirouetting,  Frangois." 

"  Don't  do  it,  monsieur ;  it  would  make  you  dizzy." 

"  Let  us  see :  I  have  a  lot  of  errands  to  do  to-day, 
tradesmen  to  see,  gifts  to  buy  for  my  bride  that  is  to  be ; 
for  I  am  to  be  married  on  Saturday,  Frangois ! " 

"  Indeed !  so  much  the  better,  monsieur." 

"  I  am  going  to  make  a  list  of  the  things  I  want  to 
buy.  I  shall  have  a  tiresome  day.  Give  me  another 
glass,  Frangois." 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

"  I  don't  know  just  where  I  shall  dine  to-day.  I  think 
I  shall  not  come  back  here." 

"At  Madame  Monleard's,  perhaps?" 


WHAT  IVAS  SURE    TO  HAPPEN  423 

"  Oh,  no !  that  would  embarrass  her.  I  will  dine  at  a 
restaurant,  with  the  first  friend  I  happen  to  meet.  Have 
you  ordered  the  carriage  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur ;  it  is  waiting  for  you." 

"  I  am  off.     Pardieu  !  another  glass  before  I  go." 

"  Monsieur  is  very  much  flushed  now." 

"  So  much  the  better!  That's  my  natural  color  coming 
back.  Just  put  the  bottle  in  the  carriage ;  I  will  finish  it 
while  I  do  my  errands." 

The  count  swallowed  his  fifth  glass  of  chartreuse, 
made  a  demi-pirouette,  and  almost  fell,  because  he 
was  very  dizzy;  but  his  valet  held  him  up,  and  he 
finally  succeeded,  after  much  bumping  against  walls, 
in  reaching  his  carriage,  into  which  he  threw  himself, 
saying : 

"Deuce  take  me!  I  Relieve  I  am  quite  capable  of 
climbing  a  greased  pole !  " 

The  day  was  passed  by  the  future  bridegroom  in  visit- 
ing emporiums  of  jewelry,  laces,  and  shawls ;  he  gave 
his  orders,  and  from  the  multitude  of  those  pretty  trifles 
which  are  said  to  be  necessaries  of  life,  and  with  which 
ladies  adorn  their  whatnots,  he  made  a  selection  well 
calculated  to  flatter  her  who  was  to  bear  his  name.  This 
took  a  great  deal  of  time,  but  he  found  leisure  to  finish 
the  bottle  he  had  brought  with  him ;  he  had  an  unfamil- 
iar burning  sensation  in  his  breast ;  he  was  tremendously 
thirsty,  and  said  to  himself: 

"  I  will  drink  seltzer  with  my  dinner." 

About  five  o'clock,  as  he  was  leaving  a  famous  fancy- 
goods  shop,  he  spied  his  two  seconds,  Messieurs  de 
Maugrille  and  de  Gervier,  coming  toward  him  arm  in 
arm.  He  went  forward  eagerly  to  meet  them. 

"  Good  afternoon,  messieurs !    Where  are  you  going?" 


424  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Why,  we  are  going  to  dine." 

"  With  friends  ?  " 

"  No ;  at  the  first  restaurant  we  see,  provided  that  it's 
a  good  one." 

"  Then  you  will  give  me  the  pleasure  of  dining  with 
me;  we  will  celebrate  my  recovery  and  my  approaching 
marriage." 

"So  be  it." 

"  Get  into  my  carriage ;  we  can  sit  close  together.  I 
will  take  you  to  Philippe's  ;  will  that  suit  you  ?  " 

"  Perfectly ;  one  can  dine  very  well  there." 

They  entered  the  carriage.  As  they  drove  along, 
Monsieur  de  Maugrille  glanced  very  often  at  the  count. 
Finally,  he  said  to  him : 

"  Are  you  completely  cured  ?  " 

"As  you  see." 

"  Your  face  seems  to  me  very  much  flushed ;  your 
eyes  gleam  with  supernatural  brilliancy." 

"  That's  the  result  of  the  medicine  I  have  been  taking; 
a  very  agreeable  remedy,  I  give  you  my  word." 

"  Something  that  your  doctor  prescribed  ?  " 

"No;  I  got  it  from  my  opponent,  Monsieur  Cher- 
ami." 

"  Your  opponent !     You  have  seen  him  again  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure ;  we  are  the  best  of  friends.  He's  a  hot- 
head, but  a  very  good  fellow." 

"  Did  you  ask  him  who  those  two  Mohicans  were  who 
acted  as  his  seconds  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  one  was  a  rich  landed  proprietor  of  Auvergne, 
who  sends  water  here  from  Mont-Dore ;  the  other  was 
his  clerk." 

"Ah,  yes!  the  so-called  Pole,  Monsieur  de  Chamousky. 
I  shall  know  those  two  worthies  again." 


WHAT  WAS  SURE    TO  HAPPEN  425 

They  arrived  at  Philippe's.  The  count  ordered  a  dainty 
dinner,  with  wines  of  the  finest  vintages ;  and  as  he  felt 
very  thirsty,  he  deemed  it  advisable  to  begin  with  cham- 
pagne frappe.  His  guests  celebrated  the  count's  recovery, 
and  drank  to  his  future  bride ;  Monsieur  de  Gervier,  who 
was  in  very  high  spirits,  insisted  on  drinking  to  Cherami's 
seconds,  whom  he  felt  sure  of  meeting  some  day,  when 
he  proposed  to  buy  some  Mont-Dore  water  of  them. 
The  count  did  not  spare  himself,  but  tossed  ofif  glass 
after  glass  of  champagne,  crying : 

"  This  is  the  end  of  my  bachelor  life !  " 

"  Be  careful,  my  dear  De  la  Beriniere,"  said  Monsieur 
de  Maugrille ;  "  for  a  convalescent,  you  go  rather  fast ; 
you  don't  spare  yourself  at  all." 

"  I  have  never  felt  so  well." 

Suddenly  Monsieur  de  Gervier,  who  had  gone  to  the 
window  for  a  breath  of  air,  burst  into  a  roar  of  Homeric 
laughter,  and  shouted : 

"  There  they  are ;  yes,  those  are  they ;  I  recognize 
them." 

"  Who,  pray  ?  " 

"The  dealers  in  Mont-Dore  water.  Come,  look  at 
them !  they're  going  along  the  street,  and  their  cask 
with  them." 

Monsieur  de  Maugrille  looked  out,  and  exclaimed  in 
dire  wrath : 

"  Water-carriers !  they  were  water-carriers !  " 

The  count,  having  also  looked  out,  declared  that  he 
did  not  recognize  them;  at  last,  Monsieur  de  Gervier 
observed : 

"  Oh,  well !  to  be  sure,  it  isn't  Mont-Dore  water  that 
they  sell ;  but,  after  all,  it's  a  kind  of  water  that's  even 
more  indispensable.  For  my  part,  this  makes  the  affair 


426  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

all  the  more  amusing,  and  that  duel  will  be  one  of  my 
most  delightful  recollections." 

Monsieur  de  Maugrille  made  a  wry  face  and  held  his 
peace,  and  the  count  returned  to  the  table. 

"  Come,  messieurs,"  he  said,  "  this  need  not  prevent 
our  drinking  to  my  approaching  happiness ;  it's  extraor- 
dinary how  thirsty  I  am  to-night !  " 

The  dinner  lasted  until  a  late  hour,  but  at  last  they  left 
the  table  and  parted :  Monsieur  de  Gervier  going  to  see 
his  Dulcineas,  Monsieur  de  Maugrille  to  play  his  game 
of  whist,  and  the  count  to  bed ;  he  was  very  tired. 

It  was  Wednesday,  and  the  pretty  widow  was  awaiting 
all  the  gifts  which  her  fiance  had  promised  her. 

"  I  flatter  myself  that  it  won't  be  to-day  as  it  was  that 
other  time,"  she  thought ;  "  I  shall  not  wait  in  vain.  He 
won't  have  another  duel  on  his  hands ;  there's  nobody  to 
challenge  him  now.  Monsieur  Cherami  is  on  my  side ;  he 
wants  me  to  marry  the  count.  It's  strange  how  he  has 
turned  about ;  perhaps  he  has  had  a  row  with  Gustave ; 
the  main  point  is  that  he  has  kept  his  promise ;  he  has 
restored  Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere's  health,  and  that's  a 
service  I  shall  not  forget." 

But  the  clock  struck  twelve,  and  one,  and  two;  and 
neither  the  bridegroom  nor  his  presents  appeared.  Fanny 
paced  her  room  impatiently,  muttering : 

"  Oh !  what  a  bore  it  is  to  wait !  It  may  not  be  the 
count's  fault,  but  for  some  time  past  it  has  seemed  as  if 
I  were  destined  to  be  vexed  and  thwarted  all  the  time." 

When  the  clock  struck  four,  the  young  woman  could 
restrain  her  impatience  no  longer. 

"Justine,"  she  said  to  her  maid,  "you  must  hurry  to 
Monsieur  de  la  Beriniere's  again  and  find  out  what  has 
happened,  what  prevents  him  from  coming.  I  can't  pass 


WHAT  WAS  SURE    TO  HAPPEN  427 

my  whole  life  waiting  for  that  man.  Go  quickly,  take  a 
cab  by  the  hour.  I  am  ruining  myself  in  cabs  for  him ; 
it's  to  be  hoped  that  he  will  make  it  up  to  me." 

Justine  obeyed  her  mistress ;  but  when  she  returned, 
it  was  with  a  woe-begone  face,  as  before. 

"  Mon  Dieu!  what  has  happened  now?  "cried  Fanny. 

"  Monsieur  le  comte  returned  home  late  last  night, 
about  ten  o'clock,  madame,  with  a  violent  headache ;  he 
had  been  dining  at  a  restaurant.  He  was  hardly  in  bed 
when  he  had  an  attack  of  fever,  followed  by  delirium ; 
they  sent  for  the  doctor,  who  said  that  he  had  indiges- 
tion, inflammation  of  the  intestines,  and  also  of  the  lungs. 
In  fact,  he's  very  ill." 

"  Oh  !  Justine,  what  an  unlucky  creature  I  am  !  The 
idea  of  having  indigestion  just  when  you  are  going  to  be 
married ! " 

"  It's  inexcusable,  madame." 

"And  to  think  that  it  has  come  just  when  everything 
was  ready  !  There  are  people  with  him,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Oh !  yes,  madame." 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  might  go  there  this  evening  ?  " 

"  What's  the  use,  madame,  when  he  is  delirious  ?  He 
wouldn't  know  you." 

"  All  right !  I  will  go  to-morrow.  Ah !  I  am  really 
greatly  to  be  pitied." 

Three  days  later,  on  Saturday,  Cherami  betook  himself 
to  Rue  de  la  Ville-l'Eveque,  to  see  what  effect  the  tonic 
had  had  on  the  count. 

"  It  was  on  Sunday  that  I  gave  it  to  him,"  he  reflected ; 
"  he  must  be  vigorous  and  lively  now,  or  else  he  never 
will  be." 

According  to  his  custom,  Cherami  did  not  stop  to 
speak  to  the  concierge ;  he  went  up  to  the  count's 


428  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

reception-room,  and  found  there  the  valet  de  chambre 
holding  a  handkerchief  to  his  eyes. 

"  What's  the  trouble,  my  friend ;  how's  your  master  ?  " 

"  Monsieur  le  comte  died  last  night,"  the  valet  replied, 
with  a  sigh. 

"  Died  !  "  cried  Cherami.  "  What  do  you  mean  ?  Dead 
so  soon  !  What  in  the  devil  did  he  die  of?  " 

"  Inflammation,  indigestion.  He  took  to  his  bed  on 
Tuesday  night,  and  the  doctor  said  at  once  there  was 
no  hope." 

"Poor  count!  Ah!  that  really  causes  me  great  dis- 
tress.— It  may  be,"  thought  Cherami,  as  he  went  away, 
"  that  we  heated  the  oven  a  little  too  hot." 


LX 

THE  RETURN  OF  ULYSSES 

A  month  had  passed  since  the  Comte  de  la  Beriniere's 
death.  Was  it  from  grief?  was  it  from  anger?  Madame 
Monleard  had  shut  herself  up  in  her  apartment  ever 
since,  and  had  been  to  see  no  one,  not  even  her  father 
or  her  sister.  She  must  have  known,  however,  that 
Adolphine  would  be  the  first  to  sympathize  with  her 
woes;  but  unfeeling  persons  never  believe  in  the  keen 
sensibility  of  others  ;  and  if  anybody  seems  to  pity  them, 
they  are  always  convinced  that,  in  reality,  that  person 
rejoices  in  their  misfortune.  The  proverb  rightly  says 
that  we  judge  others  by  ourselves. 

Monsieur  Batonnin,  who  was  always  the  first  to  be  in- 
formed of  anything  that  happened  to  disturb  his  friends  or 


THE  RETURN  OF  ULYSSES  429 

acquaintances,  learned  of  the  count's  death  very  soon  after 
it  occurred,  and  went  at  once  to  Monsieur  Gerbault's. 

"  Have  you  heard  of  the  cruel  accident,  the  misfortune 
that  has  befallen  your  elder  daughter  ?  "  he  said.  "  The 
Comte  de  la  Beriniere  is  dead,  and  before  he  had  mar- 
ried her." 

"  I  should  say,"  rejoined  Monsieur  Gerbault,  "  that  the 
misfortune  was  the  count's,  not  my  daughter's." 

"  Oh  !  of  course ;  but,  after  all,  the  count  was  no  longer 
a  young  man ;  while  your  daughter  was  going  to  be  a 
countess  and  have  forty  thousand  francs  a  year;  and  I 
believe  that  the  count  agreed  to  make  a  will  when  he 
married  her,  making  her  his  heir.  A  woman  doesn't  find 
such  a  husband  every  day." 

"  Monsieur  Batonnin,  it's  a  sad  business  to  speculate  on 
the  death  of  the  person  one  marries !  " 

"  That  is  true,  it's  very  sad ;  but  still  it's  done." 

"  You  may  say  what  you  please ;  I  do  not  pity  my 
daughter." 

"  You  astonish  me ! " 

Adolphine,  finding  that  her  sister  did  not  come,  went 
to  see  her ;  but  the  concierge  always  said  to  her :  "  Ma- 
dame Monleard  has  gone  out ; "  and  the  girl  understood 
at  last  that  her  sister  did  not  choose  to  see  her. 

One  morning,  Cherami  was  preparing  to  go  out,  when 
Madame  Louchard  came  up  to  his  room,  and  said,  with 
an  air  of  mystery  : 

"  There's  a  person  below  who  wants  to  know  if  you 
are  visible ;  and  I  came  up  to  make  sure  that  you  were 
dressed  from  top  to  toe." 

"  Who  is  this  person,  pray,  who  makes  so  much  fuss 
about  coming  to  my  room  ?  " 

"  A  pretty  young  woman." 


430  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

"A  pretty  young  woman  coming  to  call  on  me  !  Ah ! 
my  excellent  hostess,  methinks  I  have  returned  to  the 
days  of  my  early  prowess !  " 

"  I'll  go  and  tell  her  to  come  up." 

"One  moment !  Let  me  brush  my  hair  a  little,  straighten 
the  parting,  and  see  if  my  whiskers  are  well  combed." 

"  Look  at  the  flirt !  " 

"  It  is  never  wrong  to  beautify  one's  self.  Go,  show 
this  lady  up.  I  have  my  cue  !  " 

A  lady  of  small  stature,  very  well  dressed,  and  of  distin- 
guished bearing,  soon  entered  Cherami's  room  ;  when  she 
was  sure  that  he  was  alone,  she  raised  her  veil,  saying : 

"  Good-morning,  monsieur !  do  you  recognize  me  ?  " 

"  God  bless  my  soul !  it's  Madame  Monleard,  the  fas- 
cinating widow.  Pray  be  seated,  fair  lady;  excuse  me 
if  I  do  not  receive  you  in  a  palace,  but  for  the  moment 
I  have  only  this  hovel  at  my  disposal.  To  what  am  I 
indebted  for  the  honor  of  your  visit  ?  " 

"  I  desired  to  have  a  little  conversation  with  you.  Such 
a  melancholy  thing  has  happened  since  we  last  met." 

"  Don't  speak  of  it !  The  poor  count's  death  upset  me 
completely ;  I  couldn't  believe  it." 

"Especially  as  he  seemed  to  be  entirely  restored  to 
health.  What  was  it  that  you  gave  him  to  take,  in 
heaven's  name  ?  " 

"  Mon  Dieu !  just  plain  chartreuse — an  excellent, 
strengthening  liqueur.  But  it  seems  that  he  dined  with 
two  friends,  that  he  did  not  spare  himself,  that  the 
champagne  made  him  ill,  and " 

"  Well,  he's  dead ;  we  must  make  the  best  of  it.  But 
it  is  doubly  unfortunate  for  me.  I  lose  a  great  fortune,  a 
title,  which  I  had  in  my  grasp." 

"  True ;  you  lose  all  that !  " 


THE  RETURN  OF  ULYSSES  431 

"And  then  I — I  also  lose — I  lose — the  husband  with 
whom  I  broke  off  relations — in  order  to  become  a 
countess." 

"True — you  lose  both.  You  are  almost  thrice  a 
widow." 

"  And  yet,  it  seems  to  me  that  I  was  excusable  for  being 
blinded  for  a  moment  by  ambition.  Mon  Dieu  !  who  in 
this  world  has  not  been  ?  We  all  want  to  raise  ourselves." 

"That  is  the  first  thing  to  which  we  aspire  when  we 
are  born." 

"  Monsieur  Cherami,  are  you  still  on  friendly  terms 
with  Gustave  ?  " 

"  With  Gustave  ?  Oh  !  ours  is  a  friendship  for  life  and 
death ;  there  will  never  be  any  break  in  our  friendship. 
He's  a  man  for  whom  I  would  throw  myself  into  the  fire." 

"Ah!  that  is  very  fine.  And  tell  me,  do  you  know 
whether  he  will  return  to  Paris  soon  ?  " 

"  Hum  !  I  see  what  you  are  driving  at ! "  thought 
Cherami,  stroking  his  whiskers. 

"Why,  no,  I  don't,"  he  replied.  "According  to  what 
I  learned  at  his  uncle's  house,  it  seems  that  Gustave,  in- 
stead of  returning  to  France,  is  going  to  Russia,  where 
he  will  probably  stay  a  long  time — perhaps  a  year  or 
two — or  four." 

Fanny  made  a  gesture  of  disgust. 

"  What  an  idea !  To  go  to  Russia,  where  you  freeze 
all  the  time !  When  one  can  be  so  comfortable  in 
France — especially  in  Paris !  " 

"  Oh  !  I  beg  your  pardon  ;  the  women  in  Russia  aren't 
frozen.  It  seems  that  there  are  some  very  pretty  ones 
there,  and  some  immensely  rich !  Gustave  is  a  good- 
looking  fellow,  he'll  turn  some  high-born  damsel's  head 
there,  and  make  a  marriage  set  in  diamonds." 


432  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

The  little  widow  rose  abruptly,  lowered  her  veil,  and 
said: 

"Adieu,  Monsieur  Cherami !     I  must  leave  you." 

"  What !  already  ?  Had  madame  nothing  else  to  say 
to  me  ?  " 

"No.  Frankly,  I  came  because  I  wanted  to  learn 
something  about  Gustave ;  but  what  you  have  told 

me However,  perhaps  he  will  change  his  mind ; 

he  won't  stay  in  Russia,  he'll  be  bored  to  death  there. 
In  any  event,  if  you  learn  anything  about  him,  if  you 
find  out  just  where  he  is,  it  will  be  very  good  of  you  to 
let  me  know." 

"  Madame,  I  shall  always  be  delighted  to  be  able  to 
gratify  you." 

"Adieu,  Monsieur  Cherami !  " 

Cherami  looked  after  Fanny  as  she  went  away,  saying 
to  himself: 

"  I  think  I  see  myself  telling  her  where  Gustave  is, 
even  if  I  knew!  I  believe,  God  bless  me!  that  she  is 
inclined  to  go  after  him,  that  she  hopes  to  catch  him  in 
her  net  again !  Gad !  he  must  either  be  stupid  or  be- 
witched. But  there  are  some  men,  men  of  intelligence, 
too,  whom  love  makes  as  stupid  as  earthen  pots.  I  lied 
to  the  little  widow  when  I  told  her  that  Gustave  was 
going  to  Russia.  On  the  contrary,  when  I  went  to  ask 
about  him,  the  day  before  yesterday,  the  concierge,  who 
knows  me  now,  told  me  that  he  expected  him  in  a  few 
days.  Par  la  sambleu !  I  guess  I'll  go  again ;  he  may 
have  come." 

Cherami  lost  no  time  in  making  his  way  to  the  banker's 
house,  where  the  concierge  said  to  him : 

"  Monsieur  Gustave  Darlemont  returned  yesterday ; 
he's  at  home." 


THE   RETURN  OF  ULYSSES 


433 


Thereupon  our  friend  scaled  the  stairs ;  in  a  few  sec- 
onds he  was  at  his  young  friend's  door,  and  began  by 
throwing  himself  into  his  arms.  That  first  outburst  of 
emotion  passed,  Cherami  looked  at  Gustave  and  suddenly 
ejaculated : 

"  Ten  thousand  devils !     What  does  that  mean  ?  " 

That  exclamation  was  drawn  from  him  by  the  sight  of 
a  great  scar,  which  started  from  the  young  man's  fore- 
head, crossed  his  left  eyebrow,  and  came  to  an  end  at 
the  lower  part  of  the  cheek. 

"  That  ?  "  replied  Gustave,  with  a  smile.  "  That  is  the 
result  of  a  duel  with  swords  with  an  Irish  officer.  You 
fought  my  battles  here,  my  dear  Cherami ;  the  least  I  could 
do  was  to  look  after  my  own  affairs  across  the  channel." 

"  What !  have  you  heard  ?  But  let  me  embrace  you 
again  !  That  scar  is  tremendously  becoming  to  you,  and 
I  am  delighted  that  you  have  had  this  duel,  in  which 
your  adversary  evidently  didn't  fight  with  a  dead  arm. 
Damnation  !  what  a  slash  ! — Ah  !  people  won't  say  now 
that  I  fight  instead  of  you ;  this  will  put  a  stopper  on  all 
the  sneering  tongues.  But  what  did  you  fight  about  ?  " 

"  It  was  the  sequel  of  a  breakfast  party  of  artists, 
business  men,  and  this  one  Irish  officer.  We  had  plenty 
to  eat  and  drink.  The  conversation  fell  on  women,  that 
inexhaustible  subject  of  conversation  among  young  men ; 
I  said  that  the  French  women,  even  those  who  were  least 
pretty,  always  outdid  the  women  of  other  countries  in 
dress  and  carriage ;  thereupon  the  Irishman  lost  his 
temper,  and  called  me  a  greenhorn.  I  threw  my  napkin 
in  his  face ;  after  that,  a  duel  with  swords — that  was  the 
weapon  chosen  by  my  adversary ;  and  this  wound  healed 
very  slowly  and  kept  me  in  bed  six  weeks;  otherwise, 
I  should  have  come  home  long  ago." 


434  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Dear  Gustave  !  Ah  !  what  a  noble  scar !  It  is  very 
becoming,  and  I  congratulate  you  again." 

"But  I  have  no  congratulations  for  you,  but  re- 
proaches !  Pray  tell  me  why  you  challenged  that  poor 
Comte  de  la  Beriniere  ?  what  had  he  done  to  you  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  to  me ;  but  he  had  done  something  to  you, 
having  stolen  your  promised  bride  from  you." 

"Oh!  my  friend,  if  you  reflect  a  moment,  you  cer- 
tainly must  feel  that,  on  the  contrary,  he  did  me  a  very 
great  service.  But  for  him,  I  should  have  married  a 
woman  who  never  had  the  slightest  affection  for  me,  and 
who  did  not  hesitate  to  toss  me  aside  like  a  coat  which 
you  discard  when  you  see  an  opportunity  to  get  a  hand- 
somer one  at  the  same  price.  That  woman,  who,  as  a 
reward  of  my  constancy  and  the  suffering  she  had  caused 
me,  did  not  hesitate  to  be  a  traitor  to  me  a  second  time ! 
Ah  !  my  friend,  I  know  her  now,  and  I  appreciate  her  at 
her  real  worth.  A  hard,  selfish  heart,  overflowing  with 
vanity,  caring  for  nothing  but  money,  recognizing  no 
merit  except  that  of  wealth,  incapable  of  the  slightest 
sacrifice  for  others,  and  considering  that  everything  is 
rightfully  due  to  her.  That's  the  kind  of  wife  I  should 
have  had!  Should  I  not  be  profoundly  grateful  to  the 
man  who  was  the  cause  of  my  rupture  with  her  ?  " 

"  Is  it  really  you  that  I  am  listening  to,  Gustave  ?  You, 
talking  in  this  strain  of  Fanny?  Why,  then  you  must 
be  cured  at  last  of  your  passion  for  her  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes !  radically  cured ;  indeed,  Cherami,  what 
would  you  think  of  me  if  I  still  loved  her  after  her  last 
outrage  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  that  she  had  cast  a  spell  on  you, 
although  I  haven't  much  belief  in  magic.  But  you  have 
ceased  to  love  her,  that's  the  main  point.  You  know 


THE   RETURN  OF  ULYSSES  435 

that  the  poor  count  died  before  he  had  married  her  ?  but 
not  of  his  wound ;  he  had  an  attack  of  indigestion." 

"  It  is  very  unfortunate  for  her ;  but  I  confess  that  I 
don't  pity  her." 

"  There  is  one  thing  that  you  don't  suspect — that  she 
is  now  contemplating  running  after  you." 

"  Let  her  run,  my  dear  fellow ;  I  promise  you  that  she 
will  never  catch  me." 

"You  are  quite  sure  of  yourself?" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  perfectly  sure." 

"  You  see,  she  is  a  damnably  shrewd  little  wheedler, 
is  the  widow !  I  should  feel  surer  of  you  if  you  loved 
somebody  else." 

"  Somebody  else !  You  must  admit,  Cherami,  that 
my  love  for  Fanny  hasn't  resulted  in  a  way  to  encour- 
age me." 

"  All  women  are  not  Fannys ;  there  are  some  who 
are  tender-hearted,  sweet,  affectionate ;  who  would  be  so 
happy  to  be  loved  by  you." 

"  Happy  to  be  loved  by  me !  What,  in  heaven's  name, 
makes  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  I  think  so — because  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  You  are  sure  that  there  is  someone  who  would 
love  me  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  better  than  that ;  I  am  sure  that  someone  does 
love  you — cherishes  a  secret  passion  for  you — a  senti- 
ment which  she  has  always  hidden,  kept  locked  up  in 
the  deaths  of  her  heart;  because  it  was  hopeless,  be- 
cause she  was  simply  the  confidante  of  your  love  for 
another." 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  cried  Gustave,  as 
if  his  eyes  were  suddenly  opened;  "you  think  that 
Adolphine " 


436  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"Ah!  you  have  guessed — so  much  the  better;  that 
proves  that  you  had  thought  of  the  thing  before." 

"  No,  indeed.  What  makes  you  think  that  Adolphine 
ever  gives  me  a  thought  ?  " 

"  If  you  hadn't  been  in  love  with  another  woman, 
you  would  have  discovered  it  yourself  long  ago.  I  had 
already  guessed  it  from  a  multitude  of  little  things :  the 
way  she  looked  at  you — for  a  woman  doesn't  look  at 
the  man  that  she  loves  in  the  same  way  as  at  other 
men;  I  have  studied  that  subject;  but  what  proved  con- 
clusively to  me  that  she  loved  you  was  what  happened 
when  I  went  to  Monsieur  Gerbault's  to  tell  him  of  poor 
Auguste's  unhappy  end.  I  was  embarrassed  about  tell- 
ing the  story,  and  I  didn't  make  my  meaning  clear; 
Mademoiselle  Adolphine  thought  that  it  was  your  death 
I  was  trying  to  tell  them  of.  Instantly  she  gave  a  shriek 
of  despair,  and  fainted ;  we  had  a  great  deal  of  difficulty 
in  reviving  her,  and  I  had  to  keep  saying  again  and 
again  :  '  It  isn't  Gustave  who  is  dead ! '  before  she  recov- 
ered her  senses.  So  that  I  whispered  to  myself:  '  It's 
this  one,  and  not  the  other,  who  cares  for  my  young 
friend ; '  and  I  have  a  shrewd  idea  that  Papa  Gerbault 
reasoned  just  as  I  did." 

"  Why  did  you  never  tell  me  all  this,  Cherami  ?  " 

"  Because  it  wasn't  worth  while  to  sing  a  pretty  tune 
to  a  deaf  man ;  you  were  daft  then  over  your  Fanny, 
you  wouldn't  have  listened  to  me." 

"  Thanks,  my  friend,  thank  you  for  having  observed  it 
all.  You  cannot  conceive  the  emotion  it  causes  me." 

"  Why,  yes,  it's  always  pleasant  to  know  that  one  has 
turned  the  head  of  a  pretty  young  girl." 

"  Poor  Adolphine !  If  it  were  true !  If  she  really  does 
love  me ! " 


THE  RETURN  OF  ULYSSES  437 

"  Why,  think  of  all  the  offers  she  has  refused  !  I  think 
I  have  heard  that  the  count  himself  wanted  to  marry 
her ;  and  a  Monsieur  de  Raincy,  and  many  more.  What 
reason  had  she  for  refusing  everybody  who  came  forward, 
if  she  hadn't  love  for  somebody  in  her  heart  ?  and  that 
somebody  was  you — and  yet  she  had  no  hope  of  marry- 
ing you.  Oh !  what  a  difference  between  her  and  her 
sister  !  Well,  I've  told  you  what  I  had  to  tell  you ;  now, 
you  may  act  as  you  please. — But,  at  all  events,  you  are 
back  again.  I  trust  that  you're  not  going  to  start  off 
to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  I  shall  not  go  away  again ;  I've  had  enough  of 
travelling ;  I  am  going  to  settle  down  in  Paris  now." 

"  Good !  vive  la  joie !  But  do  you  know  that  your 
uncle  is  still  unrelenting  to  me  ?  He  received  me  very 
coldly  when  I  asked  him  for  employment." 

"  Never  fear,  my  friend ;  I  am  here  now,  I  will  look 
about  for  you,  and  we  will  arrange  all  that." 

"  Very  good ;  I  will  go,  for  you  must  have  much  to 
do ;  when  shall  I  see  you  again  ?  " 

"  Come  in  a  few  days,  and  I  will  tell  you — yes,  I  will 
tell  you  what  I  have  done." 

"Agreed.  Au  revoir!  My  friend  has  returned ;  I  have 
my  cue ! " 


438  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 


LXI 

LOVE  REWARDED 

Gustave  remained  for  a  long  time  buried  in  thought ; 
what  Cherami  had  said  to  him  on  the  subject  of  Adol- 
phine  had  moved  him  profoundly.  With  a  heart  so  easily 
touched,  a  heart  made  to  love,  Gustave  had  as  yet  met 
with  nothing  but  falsehood  and  perfidy.  He  remembered 
now  a  thousand  occasions  on  which  Fanny's  sister  had 
shown  the  deepest  interest  in  him ;  she  was  always  kind 
to  him,  always  had  some  consolation  to  give  him;  he 
recalled,  too,  her  habitual  melancholy,  her  sad  smile,  and 
the  sighs  which  she  tried  in  vain  to  restrain  when  he  held 
her  hand.  Having  passed  in  review  all  these  memories, 
the  young  man  hastily  left  the  house,  saying  to  himself: 

"  I  will  go  to  see  her ;  I  will  read  in  her  eyes  whether 
she  really  loves  me." 

Adolphine  was  in  her  room,  working  at  her  embroidery 
frame ;  Madeleine  was  hovering  about  her  mistress,  pre- 
tending to  arrange  the  furniture.  Madeleine  was  an  ex- 
cellent girl,  who  had  divined  that  her  mistress  was  in 
love.  She  had  noticed  that  she  never  smiled  or  seemed 
happy,  except  when  Gustave  came  to  see  her;  but  she 
had  heard  it  said  that  he  was  going  to  marry  her  mis- 
tress's sister,  whereupon  Adolphine  had  become  more 
melancholy  than  ever.  Later,  it  was  said  that  the  mar- 
riage was  broken  off,  and  yet  Adolphine  never  smiled ;  to 
be  sure,  the  young  man  who  always  brought  a  smile 
to  her  lips  had  ceased  to  come. 


LOVE  REWARDED  439 

Madeleine  would  have  been  glad  to  have  her  young 
mistress  confide  her  secret  to  her;  but  she  confined  in 
the  lowest  depths  of  her  heart  a  passion  which  she  be- 
lieved to  be  well  hidden.  However,  the  maid  succeeded 
occasionally,  by  dint  of  beating  about  the  bush,  in  ex- 
torting a  few  words,  which  she  made  the  most  of. 

"  Mamzelle,"  said  Madeleine,  "isn't  it  very  strange  that 
madame  your  sister  never  comes  to  see  you  now  ?  " 

"  My  father  was  angry  with  her,  you  know." 

"  That  didn't  prevent  her  coming  here  when  she  wanted 
to  find  out  who  had  had  the  audacity  to  fight  with  her 
count.  She  was  sure  it  was  Monsieur  Gustave.  But  you 
told  her  she  was  mistaken,  and  you  were  right.  Why 
should  Monsieur  Gustave  fight  for  her,  I  should  like  to 
know,  when  she  keeps  making  sport  of  him  ?  A  man 
doesn't  fight,  except  for  a  person  he  loves ;  and  I  am  very 
sure,  for  my  part,  that  Monsieur  Gustave  never  gives  your 
sister  a  thought  now." 

"  You  think  not,  Madeleine  ?  " 

This  question  was  asked  with  an  eagerness  which 
would  have  betrayed  Adolphine's  secret,  if  her  maid  had 
not  already  guessed  it. 

"  But  Fanny  isn't  married ! "  murmured  Adolphine 
sadly,  a  moment  later. 

"  Well,  mamzelle,  for  my  part,  I  am  glad  of  it !  She'd 
have  kicked  up  altogether  too  much  dust  if  she  had  been 
a  countess." 

"  But  when  will  Gustave  come  back  ?  " 

"Why,  you  don't  suppose  that  he  will  still  want  to 
marry  your  sister,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Why  not  ?     He  loved  her  so  much !  " 

"  Well,  I'll  bet  that  he  won't.  Think  of  it,  mamzelle, 
after  two  such  affronts  as  that !  for  you  told  me  it  was 


440  MONSIEUR    CHER  AMI 

the  second  time  she  had  broken  with  him.  Why,  he 
would  have  to  be  a  downright  fool  for  that.  Is  Monsieur 
Gustave  a  fool  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no !  far  from  it." 

"  Well,  then " 

At  that  moment  the  bell  rang;  Adolphine  started, 
without  knowing  why,  and  Madeleine  cried : 

"  There,  suppose  it  was  him  ?    Speak  of  the  devil " 

It  was,  in  fact,  Gustave,  and  Madeleine's  face  was 
wreathed  in  smiles  when  she  announced  him  to  her 
mistress.  The  young  man  entered  with  more  or  less 
embarrassment,  caused  by  Cherami's  disclosures.  But 
Adolphine  held  out  her  hand,  and  he  pressed  it  in  his 
with  such  force  that  the  girl  was  deeply  moved;  for 
Gustave  had  never  manifested  so  much  pleasure  at  sight 
of  her. 

In  a  moment  she  spied  the  scar,  and  exclaimed  in 
dismay : 

"  Mon  Dieu !  Monsieur  Gustave,  you  are  wounded ! " 

"  No ;  it  is  all  healed." 

"  But  you  surely  have  been  terribly  wounded.  What 
was  it?" 

"  A  sword-cut." 

"  You  have  had  a  duel  ?  " 

"  Yes,  with  an  Irish  officer.     I  was  in  London  then." 

"  And  why  ?     For — whom  did  you  fight  ?  " 

"  Oh !  it  was  for  a  mere  trifle.  '  A  quarrel  following  a 
hearty  breakfast." 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  if  you  had  been  killed !  " 

"  I  shouldn't  be  with  you  now." 

"  Was  the  wound  serious  ?  " 

"  Yes,  it  kept  me  housed  six  weeks.  But  for  that,  I 
should  have  been  at  home  more  than  a  month  ago." 


LOVE  REWARDED  441 

"  More  than  a  month !  Ah !  then  you  were  anxious 
to  return  at  once  as  soon  as  you  learned — what  had 
happened  ?  " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Why,  the  thing  that  caused — oh!  surely  you  know?" 

"  No,  I  do  not  know.  I  intended  to  return,  because  I 
had  finished  my  uncle's  business,  because  I  was  horri- 
bly bored  in  England,  and  because  I  had  no  reason  for 
staying  away  from  Paris  any  longer." 

"  Was  that  all  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure.  What  other  reason  are  you  thinking 
of,  pray  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  know  that  the  Comte  de  la  Beriniere  is 
dead  ?  " 

"  Certainly  I  know  it." 

"  And  that  he  died  before  he  had  married  my  sister  ?  " 

"  I  know  all  that." 

"  You  do  ?  and  that  wasn't  what  brought  you  home  ?  " 

"  Oh !  mademoiselle,  is  it  possible  that  you  think  that 
I  can  love  your  sister  still !  Oh,  no !  you  cannot  think 
it,  for  you  would  despise  me  if  you  had  such  an  opinion 
of  me  as  that." 

"  What !  can  it  be  possible  ?  Gustave,  Monsieur  Gus- 
tave,  you  no  longer  love  my  sister  ?  Oh !  what  joy ! 
Mon  Dieu !  I  don't  know  what  I  am  saying.  I  mean 
that  I  think  you  will  be  happier  now;  and  you  have  been 
sad  and  unhappy  so  long !  " 

"  Yes,  for  a  long,  long  time.  And  don't  you  think  that 
I  deserve  to  be  rewarded  for  my  constancy  by  finding  at 
last  a  heart  that  does  understand  me,  a  woman  who  has 
— a  little  love  for  me  ?  " 

"A  little  ?  Oh !  you  will  find  one  who  loves  you  dearly ! 
At  least,  I  should  think  so,  because  you  deserve  it  so  well ! " 


442  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

"  Dear  Adolphine !  Oh  !  I  beg  your  pardon,  made- 
moiselle, for  presuming  still  to  address  you  in  that  way." 

"  Why,  it  doesn't  offend  me — far  from  it." 

"  You  have  always  been  so  kind  to  me !  If  you  knew 
what  pleasure  it  gives  me  at  this  moment  to  be  sitting 
beside  you  again,  looking  at  you,  and  reading  what  is 
written  in  your  lovely,  soft  eyes  !  Oh !  do  not  look 
away!  Let  me  seek  in  them  the  hope  of  a  sincere 
affection  and  an  untroubled  happiness  ! " 

"  Oh  !  mon  Dieu !  you  make  me  tremble.  Oh  !  pray 
don't  say  such  things  to  me,  if  you  don't  mean  them ;  for, 
you  see,  I  too  have  been  unhappy  for  such  a  long  time ! 
I  have  suffered  in  silence;  for  I  dared  not  avow  my 
sentiments;  and  I  had  to  look  on  at  the  happiness  of 
another,  who  was  loved,  adored,  although  she  did  not 
deserve  such  good-fortune ;  and  I — I  had  to  conceal  all 
that  I  felt !  " 

Gustave  seized  Adolphine's  hands  and  fell  at  her  feet. 

"  Then  it  is  true !  "  he  cried ;  "  you  do  love  me  ?  Ah  ! 
my  whole  life  will  be  too  short  to  pay  you  for  this  love ! 
How  many  days  of  happiness  I  owe  you  in  exchange  for 
the  torments  I  have  caused  you  ! " 

"  But  it  wasn't  your  fault,  Gustave ;  you  could  not 
guess  that  I  loved  you.  Besides,  you  loved  my  sister 
then ;  but  now  you  don't  love  her  any  more,  do  you  ? 
Oh !  tell  me  again  that  you  don't  love  her !  " 

"  As  if  it  were  possible  for  me  to  love  her !  Ah !  my 
heart  does  not  divide  its  allegiance,  and  now  it  is  yours, 
yours  only ! " 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  I  must  be  dreaming,  I  am  so  happy ! — 
Madeleine !  Madeleine !  come  here !  It  is  I  whom  he 
loves,  it  is  I  whom  he  wants  to  marry — and  he  knows 
that  I  will  never  refuse  him  !  " 


LOVE  REWARDED  443 

Madeleine  was  not  far  away.  Servants  are  never  far 
from  people  who  are  talking.  She  came  skipping  into 
the  room  like  a  crazy  person,  for  she  was  really  happy 
in  her  mistress's  happiness. 

"We  were  just  talking  about  you  when  you  came, 
monsieur,"  she  said  to  Gustave ;  "  I  often  talk  about  you 
to  mamzelle,  because  I  have  found  that  that's  the  best 
way  to  make  her  listen  to  me.  Dame!  I'm  from  the 
country,  but  I  guessed,  all  the  same,  what  made  mamzelle 
so  sad ;  and  now  I'm  sure  that  she'll  be  happy  like  me ! 
and  that  she'll  sing  and  dance  like  me  ! " 

Monsieur  Gerbault's  arrival  put  an  end  to  Madeleine's 
antics.  He  was  surprised,  as  usual,  to  find  Gustave  in  his 
house ;  but  he  was  especially  impressed  on  this  occasion 
by  the  joy  and  happiness  which  he  read  on  every  face. 

"  Bless  my  soul ! "  he  said,  shaking  hands  with  Gus- 
tave; "are  you  just  back  from  the  war,  my  friend?  At 
all  events,  you  have  received  a  wound  which  proves  that 
you  don't  turn  your  back  on  the  foe." 

"  No,  monsieur ;  it's  the  result  of  a  duel.  I  am  not 
quarrelsome,  as  you  know,  but  a  man  cannot  always  be 
sure  of  himself." 

"  Have  you  returned  to  Paris  for  some  time  ?  " 

"  For  always  !  I  have  no  further  desire  to  travel.  My 
uncle,  who  is  good  enough  to  say  that  I  understand  the 
business  very  well,  told  me  yesterday  that  he  would  make 
me  his  partner." 

"  The  deuce  !  that's  very  nice,  indeed ;  for  your  uncle's 
business  is  very  extensive,  I  believe  ?  " 

"  His  profits  never  fall  below  sixty  thousand  francs 
a  year." 

"  Of  which  you  will  have  half.  That  makes  you  a  rich 
parti  ! — Talking  of  partis,  Adolphine,  I  have  another  one 


444  MONSIEUR   CHE  RAM  I 

to  propose  to  you ;  and  this  time  perhaps  you  will  accept, 
for  you  surely  don't  intend  to  die  an  old  maid." 

Adolphine  looked  anxiously  at  her  father;  Gustave 
himself  had  a  vague  feeling  of  apprehension.  Monsieur 
Gerbault  eyed  them  both  with  a  sly  expression,  and 
continued : 

"  Yes,  my  child ;  a  new  suitor  has  come  forward.  He 
will  never  see  twenty-five  again,  and  he  is  not  very  rich ; 
but  he  has  a  competence  and  an  honorable  position  in 
society.  It  is  Monsieur  Batonnin." 

"  Monsieur  Batonnin !  Oh !  I  won't  marry  him.  I  won't 
marry  anybody — that  is  to  say — any  of  those  who " 

Gustave  made  haste  to  interrupt  Adolphine,  and,  going 
up  to  Monsieur  Gerbault,  said  to  him  with  the  utmost 
seriousness : 

"  Monsieur,  a  long  time  ago  I  was  to  have  been  your 
son-in-law.  Circumstances  prevented  it,  and,  if  I  must 
confess  it,  I  think  that  I  have  every  reason  to  thank 
destiny  therefor.  To-day,  I  come  once  more  to  ask  your 
permission  to  become  a  member  of  your  family.  Made- 
moiselle Adolphine  has  consented  to  be  my  wife,  and 
something  tells  me  that  she  will  not  retract  her  word." 

"  Yes,  father,  yes. — Oh !  I  can't  refuse  Gustave.  And 
you  are  willing  that  he  should  be  my  husband,  aren't 
you  ?  " 

"  Especially,"  replied  Monsieur  Gerbault,  as  he  em- 
braced his  daughter,  "  especially  as  you  have  loved  him 
for  a  long  time !  " 

"  What,  father !  you  knew  it  ?  How  strange !  I  never 
told  anyone  my  secret." 

"  But  a  father's  eyes  are  sharp-sighted,  dear  heart;  and 
now  I  trust  that  you  will  recover  your  good  spirits." 

"  Oh  !  father,  I  am  so  happy !  " 


TERTIA   SOL  VET  445 

"  Take  her,  Gustave ;  she  will  not  throw  you  over  for 
another  man.  For,  even  when  she  could  not  possibly 
hope  to  be  your  wife,  she  refused  all  offers  in  order  to  be 
at  liberty  to  love  you.  As  for  Monsieur  Batonnin,  I  was 
sure  beforehand  of  your  reply ;  but,  in  order  to  soften 
your  refusal,  I  will  tell  him  that  he  came  too  late,  because 
you  are  going  to  marry  Gustave." 


LXII 

TERTIA  SOLVE! 

The  marriage  of  Gustave  and  Adolphine  had  been 
decided  for  four  days ;  and  as  they  were  in  great  haste  to 
be  united  and  to  make  sure  at  last  of  a  happiness  which 
had  constantly  eluded  the  grasp  of  one,  and  which  the 
other  had  never  hoped  to  attain,  they  were  hurrying 
forward  the  indispensable  preliminaries  to  the  celebration 
of  their  union. 

Monsieur  Grandcourt  did  not  make  a  wry  face  when 
his  nephew  told  him  of  the  new  choice  he  had  made ;  on 
the  contrary,  he  congratulated  him. 

"  That  one  is  all  right,"  he  said ;  "  she's  a  charming 
girl,  with  all  the  good  qualities  which  her  sister  lacks ; 
therefore,  she  has  a  great  many." 

More  than  once,  while  her  young  mistress  was  trying 
on  the  gowns  and  jewels  which  were  brought  to  her, 
Madeleine  cried : 

"  Oh  !  mamzelle,  how  lovely  you  will  look  as  a  bride ! 
But  there's  your  sister!  When  she  knows  who  you're 
going  to  marry,  won't  she  make  a  row  ?  " 


446  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"  Hush,  Madeleine,  don't  talk  about  my  sister  !  I  have 
a  sort  of  feeling  that  she  is  going  to  interfere  with  my 
happiness  again." 

"  Nonsense !  There's  no  danger  of  that,  mamzelle ; 
I'll  answer  for  Monsieur  Gustave ! " 

They  were  conversing  one  morning  in  this  same  strain, 
when  someone  rang  the  doorbell  violently. 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  if  it  were  she !  "  exclaimed  Adolphine. 

"  Your  sister  ?     Well,  if  it  is,  she  won't  eat  us." 

It  proved  to  be  Fanny,  who  entered  her  sister's  room 
with  an  insolent  air,  crying : 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  Who  ever  heard  of  such  a 
thing  ?  Monsieur  Gustave  in  Paris  a  whole  week,  I  hear, 
and  no  one  lets  me  know !  And  that  tall  scamp  of  a 
Cherami  assured  me  that  he  was  going  to  Russia !  Ah  ! 
I'll  fix  him  when  I  see  him !  Haven't  you  seen  Gustave  ? 
Hasn't  he  been  here  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,"  Adolphine  replied,  trying  to  conceal  her 
emotion,  "  he  has  been  here.  He  comes  every  day." 

"  And  you  couldn't  send  me  word  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  to  your  house  several  times.  You  are 
always  out." 

"  You  might  have  written  me  a  line." 

"  But  I  could  not  guess  that  you  were  so  anxious  to 
see  Gustave,  after  your  treatment  of  him." 

"  Oh !  my  dear  girl,  I  beg  you  not  to  bore  me  by  going 
all  over  that !  What  has  passed  is  a  dream ;  but  what 
has  not  been  done  may  still  be  done." 

"  I  don't  understand  you." 

"  I  understand  myself,  and  that's  enough.  How  is 
Gustave  now?  still  sad  and  depressed?" 

"Oh!  not  at  all.  He  is  cheerful  and  light-hearted; 
he's  not  the  same  man.  You  wouldn't  recognize  him." 


TERTIA   SOL  VET  447 

"Indeed!    he's  cheerful,  is  he?" 

"  And  then,  he  has  a  beautiful  scar  across  his  face ;  it 
gives  him  a  martial  air,  it's  very  becoming  to  him." 

"  Perhaps  that  is  what  makes  his  spirits  so  good.  So 
he  has  been  fighting  duels,  has  he  ?  " 

"  Yes,  with  an  Irish  officer." 

"  Everybody  seems  to  be  duelling,  nowadays !  He 
must  have  wanted  to  follow  his  friend  Cherami's  example. 
What  about  his  business  ?  " 

"  His  uncle  has  just  made  him  his  partner.  Gustave 
will  have  at  least  forty  thousand  francs  a  year  for  his 
share." 

"  Is  it  possible  !  he's  a  lucky  fellow !  And  he's  been 
in  Paris  a  week,  and  I  had  no  idea  of  it !  Hallo  !  every- 
thing seems  to  be  topsy-turvy  here  !  Have  you  been 
buying  all  these  things  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Are  you  going  to  a  ball  ?  " 

"  Better  than  that :  I  am  going  to  a  wedding." 

"  To  a  wedding  !  and  I  am  not  invited  !  Who's  to  be 
married,  pray  ?  " 

Adolphine  was  hesitating  over  her  reply,  when  the 
door  opened  and  Gustave  appeared.  When  she  saw 
the  man  whom  she  had  twice  promised  to  marry,  Fanny 
dropped  into  an  easy-chair,  threw  back  her  head,  and 
pretended  to  faint.  Adolphine  became  deathly  pale ;  but 
a  glance  from  Gustave  reassured  her.  He  went  to  her 
side,  took  her  hand,  and  pressed  it  affectionately  in  his. 

Fanny,  seeing  that  nobody  thought  of  coming  to  her 
assistance,  decided  to  recover;  so  she  straightened  herself 
up,  and  said  in  a  tremulous  voice : 

"Ah!  mon  Dieu !  Monsieur  Gustave,  your  presence 
caused  me  such  a  thrill  of  emotion !  I  almost  fainted." 


448  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

Gustave  bowed  gravely  to  Fanny,  saying,  in  an  indif- 
ferent tone : 

"  Madame  is  well,  I  trust  ?  " 

"  Why,  no,  I  have  been  ill,  I  have  suffered  a  great  deal. 
You  must  find  me  changed,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  I  fancy  we  shall  have  fine  weather  to-day,"  said  Gus- 
tave, turning  to  Adolphine,  who  whispered  : 

"  She  knows  nothing." 

"  Very  well !  we  will  give  her  a  surprise." 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  He  doesn't  listen  to  me," 
thought  Fanny. 

She  sprang  to  her  feet  and  went  up  to  the  young  man, 
saying : 

"  I  have  a  great  deal  to  say  to  you,  monsieur.  I  have 
some  important  explanations  to  make  to  you.  I  hope 
that  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  escort  me  home,  where 
we  can  talk  without  disturbing  anyone." 

Adolphine  clung  to  Gustave's  arm,  as  he  replied  with 
perfect  tranquillity : 

"  Madame,  I  am  very  sorry  to  refuse ;  but  I  have  de- 
termined never  to  enter  your  house  again,  and  I  do  not 
require  any  explanation." 

The  little  widow  bit  her  lips  in  her  wrath,  while  Adol- 
phine breathed  more  freely. 

"  What,  monsieur !  Do  you  mean  that  you  are  afraid 
to  come  to  my  house  ?  "  said  Fanny,  trying  to  smile. 

"  I  know  very  well,  madame,  that  I  have  nothing  to 
fear  from  your  presence  now.  But  I  have  no  reason  for 
calling  upon  you.  Allow  me  to  say,  further,  that  I  have 
every  reason  to  be  surprised  at  your  invitation." 

Fanny  paced  the  floor,  with  every  indication  of  the 
most  intense  annoyance ;  at  last  she  returned  to  Gustave, 
and  said  in  a  determined  tone : 


TERTIA   SOL  VET  449 

"  I  tell  you  again,  monsieur,  that  I  must  speak  to  you 
alone,  that  I  have  some  things  to  make  known  to  you, 
which  I  can  tell  only  to  you.  As  you  absolutely  refuse 
to  come  to  my  house,  I  will  speak  to  you  here.  My 
sister  will  be  good  enough,  I  trust,  to  leave  us  for  a 
moment. — Oh !  I  will  not  abuse  monsieur's  good-nature." 

Adolphine  was  sorely  disturbed ;  she  seemed  not  at  all 
inclined  to  leave  her  sister  alone  with  Gustave;  but  he 
took  her  hand  and  put  it  to  his  lips,  saying: 

"Since  madame  insists  upon  it,  go,  my  dear  Adol- 
phine ;  but  don't  go  far,  for  our  interview  will  not  be  a 
long  one." 

"  How  gallant  he  is  to  my  sister !  "  said  Fanny  to  her- 
self, as  Gustave  escorted  Adolphine  to  the  door.  "  Well ! 
we'll  see  about  it !  " 

"We  are  alone,  madame,  and  I  am  listening,"  said 
Gustave. 

Instantly  Fanny  threw  herself  at  the  young  man's 
feet,  crying  in  a  tone  which  she  tried  to  make  heart- 
rending : 

"  Gustave !  forgive  me !  Oh !  in  pity's  name,  forgive 
me,  or  I  shall  die  here  at  your  feet ! " 

"  Rise,  madame,  I  beg ;  I  do  not  understand  this  scene 
at  all." 

"  Ah !  you  do  not  choose  to  understand  me ;  but  I 
will  not  shrink  from  accusing  myself!  Yes,  I  was  guilty, 
very  guilty !  Ambition,  the  longing  to  bear  a  title,  had 
turned  my  head.  I  did  not  know  what  I  was  doing ;  I 
was  mad.  You  must  know  that  it  was  not  love  which 
attracted  me  to  the  count.  Poor  man !  No,  I  have 
never  loved  but  one  man,  and  that  man — was  you ;  yes, 
you — despite  my  idiotic  conduct.  And  then — I  don't 
know — but  the  last  time  that  you  found  fault  with  me, 


450  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

it  seemed  to  me  that  you  were  jealous.  I  am  too  sensi- 
tive ;  I  lost  my  temper  all  of  a  sudden.  But,  I  tell  you 
again,  I  didn't  know  what  I  was  doing  !  Gustave !  my 
dear  Gustave !  I  will  not  rise  until  you  have  granted 
my  pardon ! " 

"  Have  you  said  all  that  you  have  to  say,  madame  ?  " 
rejoined  Gustave,  with  a  calmness  which  disconcerted 
the  little  widow  and  induced  her  to  rise. 

"  Yes,  of  course.  I  think  that  I  have  fully  expressed 
my  regret  and  my  remorse,  at  least." 

"Very  well,  madame,  your  wish  is  gratified;  I  for- 
give you — all  the  more  freely,  because,  by  not  marrying 
me,  you  actually  did  me  a  very  great  service." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  monsieur  ?  Surely  that 
answer  of  yours  is  far  from  gallant." 

"  Oh !  madame,  you  have  given  me  the  right  not  to 
be  gallant  to  you.  Observe  that  I  am  not  reproaching 
you;  God  forbid!  But,  frankly,  you  might  well  have 
spared  yourself  this  last  comedy.  I  can  understand 
that  you  must  have  a  very  poor  opinion  of  my  sense — I 
have  given  you  the  right.  But,  after  all,  there  are  bounds 
to  everything ;  and  I  didn't  suppose  that  you  considered 
me  an  absolute  idiot.  It  seems  that  I  flattered  myself 
too  much." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  comedy,  monsieur?  What 
is  the  significance  of  this  tone,  this  satirical  air  ? " 

"  Oh !  let  us  not  lose  patience,  madame ;  and  to  put  an 
end  to  the  discussion,  allow  me  to  present  my  wife." 

As  he  spoke,  Gustave  stepped  to  the  door  and  opened 
it.  Adolphine  appeared  with  a  radiant  face,  for  she  had 
heard  every  word.  She  gave  her  hand  to  Gustave,  and 
they  both  bowed  to  the  little  widow,  who  became  white, 
red,  and  green,  in  turn,  and  who  cried  at  last : 


TERTIA   SOL  VET  451 

"  Ah !  so  you  are  to  marry  my  sister  !  I  might  have 
suspected  as  much  !  As  you  please,  monsieur.  In  fact, 
you  will  suit  each  other  admirably.  Accept  my  con- 
gratulations." 

"Won't  you  come  to  my  wedding,  Fanny?"  said 
Adolphine,  offering  her  sister  her  hand. 

"  Go  to  the  devil ! "  she  retorted,  pushing  the  hand 
away.  And  she  rushed  from  the  room,  exclaiming: 
"  I'd  much  rather  you  would  marry  him  than  I,  for  I 
think  the  fellow's  perfectly  frightful  with  his  scar ! " 

On  returning  home  from  Monsieur  Gerbault's,  Gus- 
tave  found  Cherami  waiting  for  him. 

"  Well !  how  is  everything  ?  "  inquired  Beau  Arthur, 
when  Gustave  appeared.  "  Simply  by  looking  at  you, 
my  dear  fellow,  I  can  see  that  everything  is  satisfactory." 

The  young  man  replied  by  throwing  his  arms  about 
Cherami  and  crying: 

"  Ah !  you  had  guessed  right.  Adolphine  loved  me ; 
Adolphine  still  loves  me.  In  three  days  she  will  be  my 
wife,  and  I  shall  owe  my  happiness  to  you ;  for  without 
you  I  should  never  have  discovered  her  secret." 

"  What  a  charming  fellow !  He  will  be  persuading  me 
that  he  is  the  one  who  owes  me  gratitude !  Dear  Gus- 
tave !  so  at  last  you  are  going  to  be  as  happy  as  you 
deserve !  Par  la  sambleu  !  I  am  satisfied  !  I  may  fairly 
say  that  I  have  my  cue !  And  the  uncle  ?  " 

"  My  uncle  doesn't  laugh  at  my  love  now ;  on  the 
contrary,  he  approves  my  choice." 

"  He's  a  man  of  sense." 

"  He  has  taken  me  into  partnership." 

"  Bravo ! " 

"  And  now,  as  you  may  imagine,  I  am  going  to  look  out 
for  you.  You  must  have  a  lucrative  and  agreeable  place." 


452  MONSIEUR    CHER  AMI 

"Get  married  first!  you  can  attend  to  me  afterward." 

"  No.  I  have  an  idea  that  I  want  to  suggest  to  my 
uncle." 

"  Your  uncle  thinks  that  I  am  not  good  for  anything." 

"  He'll  get  over  his  prejudice.  I  am  going  to  talk 
with  him  about  you  this  very  day.  Come  again,  about 
noon,  to-morrow;  I  shall  have  a  favorable  answer  for 
you,  I  am  sure." 

"All  right;  noon  to-morrow.  Here,  or  at  your 
office?" 

"  At  my  office.  By  the  way,  I  have  changed  my  office. 
You  pass  my  uncle's  private  room,  go  to  the  end  of  a 
long  corridor  leading  to  the  cashier's  office ;  turn  to  the 
left,  and  my  door  is  in  front  of  you." 

"  Very  good :  a  long  corridor,  then  turn  to  the  left.  I 
will  find  it.  Until  to-morrow,  my  dear  Gustave !  By  the 
way,  shall  I  be  invited  to  the  wedding  ?  " 

"  Will  you  be  ?  you,  who  made  the  match !  You,  who 
called  my  attention  to  that  angel,  whom  my  idiotic  pas- 
sion had  hidden  from  me !  Why,  if  you  were  not  there, 
something  would  be  lacking  in  my  happiness." 

"  Ah  !  that's  very  prettily  said !  Never  fear ;  I  will 
do  you  honor,  and  I  will  make  myself  agreeable  to 
everybody." 


THE  PORTFOLIO  453 


LXIII 

THE  PORTFOLIO 

As  soon  as  Cherami  had  left  him,  Gustave  went  to 
Monsieur  Grandcourt. 

"  Now  that  I  am  to  be  married,  my  dear  uncle,"  he 
said,  "  you  can  understand  that  I  don't  care  about  trav- 
elling any  more.  But,  in  our  business,  we  always  need 
someone  to  represent  us  in  foreign  countries.  Wouldn't 
it  be  possible " 

"  I  see  what  you  are  coming  at,"  interrupted  the  banker, 
shaking  his  head ;  "  you  are  going  to  talk  to  me  again 
about  your  Monsieur  Cherami." 

"  Well,  yes.  Am  I  wrong  about  it ;  hasn't  he  given 
me  proof  enough  of  his  friendship  and  his  devotion? 
He  had  shrewdly  guessed  that  Adolphine  loved  me." 

"  Why  didn't  he  tell  you  sooner,  then  ?  " 

"  Would  I  have  listened  to  him  ? — Come,  uncle,  you 
are  so  good  to  me !  You  overwhelm  me  with  kindness. 
You  give  me  an  interest  in  your  business.  Will  you  do 
nothing  for  a  man  who  is  my  friend  ?  He  was  wild  and 
dissipated  in  his  youth ;  now  he  has  reformed." 

"  Where's  the  proof  of  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  his  most  earnest  desire  is  to  find  a  place ;  and  I 
assure  you  that  he  is  capable  of  filling  it." 

"  I  don't  doubt  that.  The  fellow  is  intelligent  and 
talented,  and  has  excellent  manners  when  he  chooses, 
but " 

"  But  what  ?  " 


454  MONSIEUR   CHER  A  MI 

"Well,  he  doesn't  inspire  me  with  confidence;  and,  to 
represent  us,  we  must  have  a  man  of  honor,  above  all 
things." 

"You  have  an  erroneous  opinion  of  Cherami.  He 
may  have  borrowed  money,  have  incurred  debts  which 
he  hasn't  paid,  but  solely  from  lack  of  means.  In  a 
word,  he  has  been  very  unfortunate.  Do  you  impute  it 
to  him  as  a  crime  that  he  has  endured  poverty  cheer- 
fully, and  has  had  confidence  in  the  future  ?  Poor  fellow ! 
And  I  led  him  to  hope  for  a  favorable  answer,  and  told 
him  to  come  here  for  it  to-morrow ! " 

Monsieur  Grandcourt  made  no  reply;  he  seemed  to 
be  lost  in  thought.  Gustave  was  distressed  by  the 
ill-success  of  his  attempt.  Suddenly  his  uncle  ex- 
claimed : 

"Did  you  say  that  Monsieur  Cherami  was  to  come 
here  to  see  you  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Yes,  uncle." 

"  Where  are  you  to  meet  him,  in  your  room  or  your 
office  ?  " 

"  At  my  office." 

"  Did  you  indicate  to  him  exactly  that  he  was  to  follow 
the  corridor,  then  turn  to  the  left  ?  " 

"  Yes,  uncle." 

"  At  what  time  is  he  to  be  here  ?  " 

"  At  noon.  He  will  be  prompt ;  he  never  fails  to  keep 
an  appointment." 

"  Very  well ;  about  two  o'clock  to-morrow,  I  will  give 
you  a  definite  answer  on  the  subject  of  your  protege." 

"  And  it  will  be  favorable,  will  it  not,  uncle  ?  " 

"  I  can't  tell  you  yet.  By  the  way,  I  shall  be  obliged 
to  you  if  you  will  not  be  in  your  office  at  noon." 

"  Not  be  there,  uncle  ?     But  Cherami  is  coming !  " 


THE  PORTFOLIO  455 

"  Don't  be  disturbed  about  that ;  that's  my  affair.  Go 
to  pass  the  morning  with  your  fiancee." 

"  Oh !  I  ask  nothing  better." 

"  And  return  about  two  o'clock.  I  will  tell  you  then 
my  decision  as  to  Monsieur  Cherami." 

The  clock  had  just  struck  twelve  when  Cherami  entered 
the  banking-house  on  the  following  day.  He  cherished 
no  vain  hopes ;  he  did  not  anticipate  a  favorable  reply ; 
but,  with  his  customary  philosophy,  he  said  to  himself: 

"  That  won't  prevent  me  from  going  to  Gustave's  wed- 
ding and  enjoying  myself." 

As  he  was  perfectly  familiar  with  the  way  to  the  offices, 
Cherami  entered  the  vestibule  on  the  street  floor ;  at  the 
right  was  a  door  leading  to  the  general  offices,  and  in 
front,  the  door  of  a  long  corridor  on  which  several  other 
doors  opened.  That  was  the  corridor  he  was  to  take 
to  reach  Gustave's  office.  Cherami  passed  through  the 
door  and  walked  straight  ahead.  He  had  just  passed 
Monsieur  Grandcourt's  private  office,  when  his  foot  struck 
something  of  considerable  size ;  he  stooped,  looked  to 
see  what  it  was,  and  picked  up  a  portfolio. 

His  first  impulse  was  to  examine  what  he  had  found. 
It  was  a  very  simple  portfolio,  of  green  morocco,  with 
no  monogram  or  initials;  but  in  one  of  the  compart- 
ments was  a  thick  package  of  banknotes.  Cherami 
counted  them;  they  amounted  to  twenty-five  thousand 
francs.  He  looked  through  all  the  other  compartments, 
but  found  no  letters,  no  papers,  nothing  to  tell  him  to 
whom  it  belonged. 

"  Par  la  sambleu  !  this  is  a  find ! "  said  Cherami  to 
himself.  "  Twenty-five  thousand  francs  !  A  very  pretty 
little  sum!  Who  can  have  lost  it?  I  don't  see  anybody; 
but  I  mustn't  forget  that  Gustave  is  waiting  for  me." 


456  MONSIEUR   CHER  AMI 

He  put  the  portfolio  in  his  pocket,  and  kept  on  to  the 
end  of  the  corridor;  then  turned  to  the  left,  took  another 
short  corridor,  saw  a  door  in  front  of  him,  and  turned 
the  knob;  but  the  door  did  not  open. 

"  What's  this  ?  locked  ?  Yes,  it  is  locked,"  said  Cher- 
ami  to  himself.  "  Gustave  must  have  forgotten  the 
appointment.  When  he's  just  on  the  brink  of  matri- 
mony, it's  quite  excusable.  I  may  as  well  go.  But  that 
portfolio?  Let's  go  and  inquire  at  the  cashier's  office." 

The  counting-room  was  at  the  end  of  the  long  corri- 
dor. Cherami  had  passed  it  once  without  noticing  that 
it  was  closed :  it  was  Sunday,  a  holiday. 

But  as  he  turned  back  toward  the  door  of  the  counting- 
room,  Cherami  exclaimed : 

"  Upon  my  word !  everything  is  closed  to-day !  It's  very 
strange !  One  would  say  that  circumstances  conspired 
to  enable  me  to  appropriate  this  portfolio  with  impunity! " 

He  walked  back  along  the  corridor  as  far  as  the 
banker's  door ;  there  he  halted,  saying : 

"  Let's  see  if  this  one  is  locked,  too." 

But  that  door  yielded  to  his  pressure,  and  Cherami 
found  Monsieur  Grandcourt  in  his  usual  seat.  He  could 
not  master  a  slight  movement  as  Cherami  appeared,  but 
he  instantly  repressed  it,  and  greeted  him  with  the  cus- 
tomary cool  nod,  and  without  rising. 

"  I  have  come  once  more  to  bore  you,  monsieur,"  said 
his  visitor ;  "  I  had  no  intention  of  doing  so,  however ; 
but  Gustave  made  an  appointment  with  me  for  this  noon, 
and  I  do  not  find  him." 

"  I  don't  know  where  he  is,  monsieur." 

"  He  was  to  give  me  an  answer  about — about  some- 
thing. I  can  guess  that  he  had  nothing  favorable  to  tell 
me ;  that  is  why  he  is  not  here." 


THE  PORTFOLIO 


457 


"  In  that  case,  monsieur,  what  do  you  want  of  me  ?  " 

"  Oh !  mon  Dieu !  nothing,  except  to  hand  you  this 
portfolio,  which  I  found  in  your  corridor;  and  as  the 
person  who  lost  it  will  probably  come  here  in  search  of 
it,  you  will  please  return  it  to  him.  If  I  had  found  any- 
body in  the  counting-room,  I  would  not  have  disturbed 
you,  I  promise  you  !  " 

As  he  spoke,  Cherami  took  the  portfolio  from  his 
pocket  and  placed  it  on  the  banker's  desk.  The  latter's 
expression  had  changed  completely;  the  liveliest  satisfac- 
tion was  depicted  on  every  feature.  However,  he  strove 
to  conceal  his  pleasure,  as  he  said : 

"  Aha !  you  found  this,  you  say — near  here  ?  " 

"  In  the  corridor.  I  knocked  at  several  doors,  but  they 
are  all  locked." 

"  Do  you  know  what  it  contains  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  twenty-five  thousand  francs  in  banknotes.  Count 
them,  and  you  will  see.  Nothing  else  :  no  letters,  no  ad- 
dress, nothing  to  indicate  to  whom  it  belongs." 

"  Do  you  know,  monsieur,  that  this  is  very  well  done 
of  you  ? "  said  Monsieur  Grandcourt,  turning  to  Cher- 
ami,  and  looking  at  him  for  the  first  time  with  a  kindly 
expression. 

"  Well  done  of  me  !  because  I  return  a  portfolio  that 
I  found  ?  Tell  me,  in  God's  name,  did  you  take  me  for 
a  thief,  for  a  man  who  keeps  what  doesn't  belong  to 
him  ?  Sapristi !  I  don't  propose  that  people  shall  hold 
that  opinion  of  me,  and  you  must " 

"  Come,  come  !  cool  down,  hot-head  !  I  haven't  a  bad 
opinion  of  you.  Do  you  propose  to  pick  a  quarrel 
with  me?" 

"  You  seem  surprised  that  I  do  a  perfectly  simple 
thing — that  I  am  honest !  " 


458  MONSIEUR  CHERAMI 

"  Let  us  forget  that. — Now,  do  you  care  to  accept  the 
position  of  our  travelling  man  ?  The  duties  are  simply 
to  go  to  see  our  correspondents  abroad,  and  keep  us  in- 
formed as  to  their  orders.  As  you  see,  it's  by  no  means 
an  unpleasant  post.  We  will  give  you  six  thousand 
francs  a  year  and  all  your  expenses  paid.  Does  that 
suit  you  ?  " 

"  Does  it  suit  me !  why,  it  delights  me  beyond  words ! 
Dear  uncle  of  my  friend !  Permit  me — no,  it's  foolish  for 
men  to  kiss — give  me  your  hand,  that's  better." 

"  There  it  is,  Monsieur  Cherami ;  and  henceforth  you 
can  number  me  among  your  true  friends." 

"  Their  number  isn't  very  great :  you  and  Gustave, 
that's  all." 

"  Permit  me  also  to  advance  you  two  thousand  francs 
on  your  salary ;  you  may  have  purchases  to  make,  some 
troublesome  little  debts  to  pay." 

"  Faith !  I  have,  indeed.  I  will  pay  Capucine  and  Blan- 
quette,  two  creditors  of  long  standing,  who  have  not 
been  very  troublesome.  I  am  sure  that  they  were  never 
anxious;  but  they  have  waited  long  enough.  This  even- 
ing, I  will  send  them  what  I  owe  them.  They  will  be 
surprised;  but  they'll  take  it." 

A  few  days  later,  Gustave  married  Adolphine,  who  ob- 
tained at  last  the  reward  of  the  sincere  and  devoted  love 
which  she  had  hidden  so  long  in  the  bottom  of  her  heart. 

Fanny  never  saw  her  sister  after  she  became  Gustave's 
wife.  The  little  widow  could  not  forgive  herself  for 
having  refused  a  man  who  eventually  had  more  than 
forty  thousand  francs  a  year ;  especially  as  nobody  else 
came  forward  to  take  his  place. 

Monsieur  Batonnin  was  greatly  vexed  by  the  rejection 
of  his  hand.  When  he  learned  that  it  was  Gustave  who 


THE  PORTFOLIO 


459 


was  preferred  to  him,  he  was  tempted  to  make  ill-natured 
remarks,  because  he,  in  common  with  many  others, 
thought  that  Gustave  must  be  a  coward,  as  he  allowed 
Cherami  to  fight  for  him.  But  when  he  came  face  to 
face  with  Adolphine's  beloved,  when  he  saw  the  scar  of 
the  famous  sword-cut,  Monsieur  Batonnin  became  smiling 
and  soft-spoken  once  more,  and  congratulated  Gustave 
on  his  new  choice. 

Some  months  after  Gustave's  marriage,  Cherami,  who 
had  become  a  dandy  once  more  in  respect  to  dress,  hap- 
pening to  pass  the  omnibus  office  near  Porte  Saint-Martin, 
met  Madame  Capucine  and  her  two  boys.  He  greeted 
the  corpulent  dame  cordially,  saying : 

"  Do  you  happen  to  be  going  to  your  aunt's  again  ? 
But,  no ;  this  isn't  the  direction." 

"  Excuse  me ;  she  isn't  at  Saint-Mande  now,  she's  gone 
back  to  Romainville ;  she  feels  better  there." 

"  Does  she  eat  as  many  rabbits  ?  " 

"  No,  too  many  were  stolen ;  she  got  sick  of  'em." 

"  Then,  I  will  call  again  to  see  dear  Madame  Du- 
ponceau." 

"  Oh !  yes,  as  you  did  before ;  when  you  leave  the 
house,  that's  the  last  we  see  of  you.  Come  now,  with  us." 

"  I  can't  possibly  to-day ;  I  see  two  young  ladies  yon- 
der looking  for  me." 

Cherami  had  caught  sight  of  Mesdemoiselles  Laurette 
and  Lucie  at  the  corner  of  the  boulevard,  where  they  had 
stopped  to  stare  at  him,  and  were  saying  to  each  other : 

"  Is  it  really  him  ?     How  finely  he's  dressed  now ! " 

"  Yes,  it  certainly  is  him.  Don't  you  see,  his  nose  is 
still  crooked." 

"But  now  he's  dressed  so  fine,  that  don't  look  very 
bad ;  he  has  a  very  stylish  air,  I  tell  you." 


460  MONSIEUR   CHE  KAMI 

Cherami  approached  the  two  friends,  and  saluted  them 
with  a  gracious  bow,  saying : 

"  Really,  this  square  is  very  good  to  me ;  for  I  re- 
member, mesdemoiselles,  that  it  was  in  front  of  this 
same  omnibus  office  that  I  first  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  you." 

"That  is  true,  monsieur;  but  we  are  still  simple 
working-girls,  while  you,  monsieur,  you  seem  to  have 
made  your  fortune." 

"  No,  mesdemoiselles ;  I  haven't  made  my  fortune.  I 
have  just  straightened  myself  out,  reformed  a  bit,  and 
I  have  found  a  place  which  I  am  determined  to  fill  satis- 
factorily. Twice  before,  when  I  met  you,  I  invited  you  to 
dine ;  and  I  should  have  been  sadly  embarrassed  if  you 
had  accepted,  for  I  hadn't  a  sou  in  my  pocket.  To-day, 
my  pocket  is  well  lined,  and  yet  I  shall  not  repeat  my 
invitation,  because  I  represent  the  firm  of  Grandcourt  & 
Nephew,  and,  as  such  representative,  I  have  determined 
to  change  my  mode  of  life.  But  that  will  not  prevent 
me  from  offering  each  of  you  a  bouquet,  for  the  most 
virtuous  man  is  always  at  liberty  to  be  gallant." 

With  that,  Cherami  purchased,  from  a  flower-girl  at  the 
corner,  two  superb  bouquets,  which  he  bestowed  upon 
Mesdemoiselles  Laurette  and  Lucie.  Then  he  saluted 
them  anew  and  took  his  leave  of  them,  saying  to  himself: 

"  I  behaved  like  Cato !  And  I  am  the  more  inclined 
to  congratulate  myself,  because,  in  my  new  lodgings  on 
Rue  de  Richelieu,  I  have,  on  the  same  floor,  a  charming 
neighbor — well  dressed,  with  a  distinguished  air — a  widow 
with  a  modest  competence — who  has  responded  to  my 
salutations  with  the  most  gracious  smiles ;  and,  faith ! 
I  have  my  cue !  " 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FAOUTY 


A     000  062  807     3 


